Toddler found in vehicle during Edmonton heat wave dies

A three-year-old girl found unresponsivein a vehicle in northeast Edmonton Tuesday during arecord-breaking heat wave has died.

Police were called to the Rundle Heights neighbourhoodnear 29th Street and 116A Avenue shortly after 6:30 p.m. when the temperature was still hovering above 30 C.

The child wasdiscovered in a vehicle outside a family home and pronounced dead about onehour later.An autopsy was scheduled forWednesday afternoon.

The child has been identified as Tsi-Tsi Chitekedza.

Neighbour Nicole Houle was inside her house last night when she heard a woman screaming, "My baby! My baby!"

"We came outside and grandmother had her face in her hands the whole time," Houle said.

"From what we know, she was babysitting when it happened, so I could see why she would be so devastated. It was pretty intense."

Houle said paramedics tried to save the child.

"It was pretty sad to see that, because she was so tiny, she took up half that stretcher.And that cop's hands took up her whole chest.He was pumping her chest.It was horrible to see."

Police are not saying who might beresponsible for the child's death.

"It's a horrible tragedy for everybody,for the family," said acting Staff Sgt. Scott Jones. "It's very difficult for the first responders."

Police are talking to family members, he said.

Speaking Wednesday morning,police said they are also investigating anothercase wherethree children were found inavehicle during yesterday's extreme heat astemperatures soared to 35 C, but seemed like closer to 45 C with thehumidity taken into account.

Police are releasing fewdetails, but said the children were not in serious distress.