New App Helps Alert Parents Of Children Left In Car Seats

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – It's a startling statistic that no parent ever wants to endure. On average, nearly 40 children die of heat stroke from cars every year.

The latest example happened over Labor Day weekend in Chickamauga, Ga.

Police said an 11-month-old was left in the car by his grandparents and his aunt after a church service. They believe he had been there for two hours and that the temperature inside the vehicle may have reached more than 170 degrees.

His family tried to resuscitate him, but it was too late.

Investigators said the child likely died of heat stroke.

"We believe at this point that each adult may have thought the other adult had responsibility to get that child out, and when they got inside they just did not confirm that, did not communicate that to each other," Sheriff Steve Wilson said.

They believe this death was just a horrible accident and no charges have been filed.

Here in Minnesota, one Wayzata-based company is hoping to help prevent accidents like this.

The company, "Two Cool Dads," has created a product called the iBaby-Seat.

Here's what these two cool dads are doing.

It started as an idea eight years ago, but the product wasn't manufactured until this summer. The Minnesota-based developers are hoping it will soon be coming to a store near you.

Ryan Borovanski and Christian Whilcock developed their product with hopes that it would help other parents.

"We sort of decided if we were going to do this we were going to do it and we were going to get it to market as quickly as possible," owner and creator Whilcock said.

"I have two girls that are 10 and 12, and through having children of my own this really just strikes home with me," COO Borovanski said.

The first step - download the app on your smartphone. The second – place the magnet strip on the bottom of the car seat.

The Wayzata based product is a Bluetooth sensor device that alerts your smartphone when a child has been left in a vehicle.

"We used the latest technology in Bluetooth to come up with a very low-cost sensor that everybody can afford," Roger Rosen, the developer, said.

The product is expected to cost about $30.

After testing the device the team of developers is currently in talks to figure out how to best get this device to parents.

"We are strategically working with car seat manufacturers and retailers to see what's the best fit to bring this product market," Borovanski said.

Even if temps are in the low 70s, temperatures in cars can still increase as much as 40 degrees. It's exactly why these dads and moms hope to make a difference in the lives of so many families.

"These are great people on the worst day of their life and we're prevent that from happening at all," Whilcock said.

Right now the goal is to launch the product in mid-October.

They have been talking with car seat manufactures and some major retailers here in the Twin Cities.

For more information about the iBaby-Seat, visit iBaby online.