Girl, 5, died after being left in hot car outside family mansion during 'extreme heat warning', cops say

By EMMA RICHTER, US SENIOR NEWS REPORTER Published: 19:14, 24 August 2026 | Updated: 19:17, 24 August 2026 An adorable five-year-old girl died after she was left alone in a scorching car for hours during an 'extreme heat warning,' police said.  Faustina Jean-Paul was found inside a vehicle around 8.20pm on Tuesday outside her family's 4,300sq ft home in Garland, about 20 miles outside of Dallas, according to the Garland Police Department.  The little girl is believed to have been left in the car for hours after an adult family member picked Faustina and her older brother up from school earlier that day, officials said. Her sibling and the unidentified driver exited the vehicle, but Faustina was left inside. At the time, it was more than 100F outside.  After noticing the child was missing, family members started to frantically look for her before making the tragic discovery.  Her loved ones immediately started performing CPR on the child and called 911 for help.  Faustina was transported to a local hospital, where she later died.  It is unclear exactly how long she was left in the car and whether the doors and windows were locked while she was inside the vehicle.  Faustina Jean-Paul, five, died on Tuesday after she was left in a hot car for hours, police said She was found in a vehicle outside her family's 4,300-square-foot home in Garland after being being picked up from school by an adult family members hours earlier No charges have been filed as police continue to investigate the incident, Officer Matthew Pesta with the Garland Police Department told the Daily Mail.  'We are still waiting for the ME’s official findings to come back. We are working with the Dallas County District Attorney’s Office and want to ensure everything is thoroughly investigated,' Pesta added.  Faustina's cause of death is not yet known.  Her family members had looked around for her for some time before locating her in the car, Pesta told WFAA.  'They started looking everywhere, right? Like you would a child, and then they started looking outside. Is she out there playing? You know, where’s she at? And then somebody located her still in the vehicle,' he said.  Pesta added: 'There are no words to describe how devastating this can be.' The Garland Independent School District, where Faustina attended school, also confirmed her death. The school year had just started on August 10.  'Garland ISD confirms with heavy hearts that the five-year-old child who tragically passed away was a new student in our district,' the district told the Daily Mail.  'This profound loss saddens us deeply, and our thoughts are with the family.'  The Garland Independent School District, where Faustina attended school, also confirmed her death. The school year had just started on August 10 The district also said that crisis counseling is available to support both students and staff who are impacted by her death.  A GoFundMe page has also been created to raise money for Faustina's funeral.  Although the fundraiser did not name her, it did name her father, Aziz Jean-Paul.  'It is with a heavy heart that I’m creating this GoFundMe on behalf of my dear friend, who is grieving the heartbreaking loss of his beloved daughter,' the page read.  'No parent should ever have to experience the pain of losing a child. During this incredibly difficult time, we are coming together to support him and his family with funeral and memorial expenses, as well as other unexpected costs they may face while taking the time they need to grieve.'  As of Monday afternoon, it has raised just over $300.  According to an obituary page, which has not yet been completed in full, a funeral service will be held for her on September 5 at New Hope Funeral Home Chapel, followed by a burial. The Daily Mail contacted Garland ISD and the Dallas County Medical Examiner's office for comment.