'Loving' parents not at fault for deaths of children left in hot cars, coroner finds

Two children died after their parents accidentally left them in hot cars. (ABC Kimberley: Andrew Seabourne/File photo)

The deaths of two children who were left in cars during hot weather were the result of their parents' memory failure, a NSW coroner has found.

An inquest into the separate incidents heard fatigue and stress contributed to the deaths.

The coroner has recommended the introduction of a system to require childcare centres to immediately notify parents if their child is absent.

A NSW coroner has found the deaths of two children who were inadvertently left in cars during hot weather were the result of memory failure, in circumstances that could occur to the "most caring, loving parents".

A coronial inquest found two children, known by the pseudonyms OVA and AN, died from heat exposure after unintentionally being left in their family cars for an extended period of time in separate incidents in Sydney.

Deputy State Coroner Rebecca Hosking found the children's "tragic" deaths were the result of memory failure and described the parents of both children as loving and caring.

"These are circumstances that can occur to the most caring, loving parent, of which all of them were in this case," Ms Hosking said.

The inquest heard both parents thought their children were at child care. (ABC Kimberley: Andrew Seabourne)

Ms Hosking cited psychological evidence provided to the inquest that in each case "chronic fatigue and stress", along with a change in routine, contributed to the belief that both children had been dropped off at child care when they had not.

The coroner today made a range of recommendations, including for government agencies to expand awareness campaigns on how easily memory failures can occur.

The campaigns would focus on informing the public about how parents with young children were particularly susceptible to memory failure and promoting cues to help parents remember their child is in the car, such as placing the child's items on the front passenger seat or placing the parent's valuable items, such as a wallet, next to the child in the back seat.

Ms Hosking also called for the introduction of a mandatory system that required childcare centres to send an immediate notification to parents if their child was unexpectedly absent.

OVA was 14 months old when her parents placed her in the back seat of their car, like any other morning, as they travelled to work in May 2025.

They were running late when the father dropped OVA's mother off at the train station before making his way towards her childcare centre, which was in the same