A 6-year-old Emirati girl has died in Abu Dhabi after her parents left her in a vehicle for six hours.
The child suffocated to death in the vehicle, Abu Dhabi Police said, according to Gulf News.
Police expressed their regret and grief over the incident, warning parents against leaving their children alone in vehicles, particularly in hot temperatures.
They warned that even leaving a child with the air-conditioning running in a vehicle could lead to devastating results. A young child could tamper with the vehicle, inadvertently shutting off the air-conditioning or causing other problems if left unattended.
The police said that parents should always bring young children with them when leaving a vehicle, even if only for a few minutes.
In 2016, the UAE implemented a landmark child protection law, with the aim of safeguarding children from abuse and neglect.
The law goes so far as to legally requiring individuals to report suspected child abuse and neglect. If an adult is found to be neglecting or abusing a child, they can face fines of up to 50,000 dirhams ($13,613) and up to 10 years in prison.
It's unclear whether the parents in this case will be charged with negligence in their child's death.