Toddler Locked in Hot Car in Underground Garage Rescued After Quick Response

Two-year-old Leah was accidentally locked inside a hot car on the minus two level of an underground parking garage, holding the car keys in her hand and with no cellphone reception in the area. Her mother, Michal Hivshar, recounted the tense moments as she tried to open the locked vehicle: "The child was playing with the key inside the car, I came to open the door, heard the sound of it locking itself, and I was trembling." Facing the immediate danger to her daughter's safety, Hivshar made the difficult decision to leave Leah alone in the hot car and go upstairs to seek help. "I went up to the lobby, met a neighbor whom I asked to come down and stay with the child. I called the police and was also advised via the building's WhatsApp group to contact the 'Yedidim' organization."

Israel Almasi, CEO of the 'Yedidim' rescue organization, responded to the call and arrived at the scene. He described the rescue: "I got on my motorcycle, went straight down to minus two, saw many people around the car, silenced the background noise, took out the rescue kit, and opened the car within 30-40 seconds." This incident highlights the critical importance of public awareness regarding the dangers children face in vehicles during hot summer days. Almasi noted, "We rescue between five and eight children a day; this can happen to anyone." He also emphasized the need for vigilance in public spaces: "A glance at a parked car can save lives."