Boy could have been saved from hot car

ROUND ROCK, Texas (KXAN) - Daniel Hu, the 18-month-old child who died in a hot car in far North Austin, was reported alive and in the car by a passerby just 30 minutes after his father left him behind in a lot - but security officers couldn't find him, Austin police said Wednesday.

By the time Daniel was discovered again late in the day, hours later, he had died of heat exposure.

Police said that a woman who parked near the car saw Daniel and reported the situation to security guards.

"Within probably about 30-minutes of the time the dad parked the vehicle that the report was made to the security guards," said Lt. Mark Spangler, with the Austin Police Department.

However, police said the guards were unable to find the vehicle he was in.

"The original sighting by the witness would have, if they had been able to locate the child, would have been able to advert this incident from taking place," said Lt. Spangler.

Kesen Hu left his son in a hot car in the back parking lot of Freescale Semiconductor and is charged with endangering a child. Officials booked Hu into the Wiliamson County Jail with a bond set at $20,000.

Daniel died last Wednesday. Hu,34, said in his arrest affidavit he forgot to drop his child off at the day care center.

A call came into 911 around 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday from a passerby who saw the toddler in the back seat of the SUV sitting in the parking lot at 7700 West Parmer Lane. 

Apparently, that was the second person who had seen the boy, according to the newest accounts.

Austin police said Hu left his son in the car, which was not running. The windows were rolled up, and the temperature had topped out at 106 degrees.

It can take less than five minutes for the temperature inside a hot car to reach 120 degrees.

While it is not clear if heat caused the boy's death, police said they do not suspect foul play and are calling this a tragedy.

APD Lt. Mark Spangler talks about witness report