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Central Florida man invents safety system to warn parents if they leave child in vehicle

By Cierra Putman, WFTV.com
By Cierra Putman, WFTV.com
So far this year in Florida, six children have died after being left in a hot vehicle.
For one Central Florida man, that number was too high and he wanted to do something about it.
Josh Mejia invented the Baby Safe System, which works in conjunction with the vehicle to make sure a child can’t be forgotten in the back seat.
“I said, ‘I have to do something,’” Mejia said.
If a parent takes the key out of the vehicle ignition, after a short amount of time, if the child is left in his or her car seat, lights on the seat will start flashing and an alert will sound.
Within 60 seconds of that, the Baby Safe System will set off the vehicle alarm, and 30 seconds after that, the vehicle windows will roll down, Mejia said.
The system will also send a text alert with GPS coordinates to up to five people.
“We call this a fail-safe system,” Baby Safe System employee Mark Mucha said.
Nationwide, 39 children have died after being left in a vehicle and Mejia believes every one of those deaths could have been prevented.
A safety system like the one he has designed would have been helpful in his own life, Mejia said.
He had a scare at a Publix when his daughter was small, but luckily she was OK.
“We said, ‘Where’s the baby?’” he said. “We went back. We started to open the door, and it was locked. The fire department came and helped us out. Thank God for them.”
Mejia is still looking for a company to manufacture the Baby Safe System, but hopes to get it to market soon.

Cox Media Group

Cierra Putman

Cierra Putman, WFTV.com

Cierra Putman flew south to join Eyewitness News in July 2016.

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