Young girl dies after climbing into hot car
Aug 18, 2026, 4:03 PM | Updated: 4:04 pm
A 4-year-old American Fork girl died recently after becoming stuck inside her parents' vehicle and not knowing how to get out. (Matt Gush, Adobe Stock)
(Matt Gush, Adobe Stock)
AMERICAN FORK — American Fork police call it an “unimaginable tragedy.”
“Absolutely tragic. I can’t even imagine what the parents are going through,” said American Fork Police Lt. Ryan Archuleta.
On July 26, 4-year-old Rosalie “Rosie” Grace Freund was playing with her siblings at her home when, unbeknownst to others, she got into her parents’ 2020 GMC Yukon XL parked in the driveway.
Police say the child safety locks for the backdoors were on. Even though the front doors did not have child locks, investigators believe Rosie did not know how to get out. Detectives believe Rosie was inside the hot car for possibly 2½ hours, Archuleta said. The temperature inside the vehicle reached an estimated 120 degrees.
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After Rosie was discovered, CPR was started before emergency crews arrived. She was initially taken to a local hospital before a medical helicopter transported her to Salt Lake City “with the exact patient condition … not known, but believed to be very poor,” according to court documents.
Rosie died two days later on July 28.
“Rosie was the embodiment of joy, a ray of sunshine who touched the lives of everyone she met. With her contagious smile, she brought happiness wherever she went. From her giggles while munching on snacks to her twirls and tumbles, Rosie’s playful spirit radiated warmth. She cherished quality time with her sisters, often engaging in imaginative play with Barbies, and filled our homes with her delightful singing and energetic forward rolls,” her obituary states. “A true lover of vibrant colors, Rosie adored purple, pink, and yellow, and her all-time favorite food was the ever-so-comforting mac & cheese. She also loved nothing more than being playfully tickled and floating in the swimming pool on her back like a starfish.”
Rosie is survived by her parents and three sisters. A fundraiser* was set up to help the family.
Archuleta called the young girl’s death “An unimaginable tragedy I can’t even fathom.” He said police would not be pursuing any criminal charges.
*KSL does not assure that the money deposited to the account will be applied for the benefit of the persons named as beneficiaries. If you are considering a deposit to the account, you should consult your own advisers and otherwise proceed at your own risk.
