Mom warns of keyless entry systems after toddler gets locked in hot car

Keyless locks can be convenient in many ways, especially when you are juggling kids in and out of a car with groceries, a dog and other bags in tow.

But one mom in Novi, Michigan, has a warning out for parents who use these types of keyless locks on the regular.

Cars don’t typically lock when key fobs are inside.

At least that’s what Katie Corbin thought when she was gassing up, leaving her one-year-old toddler, Joey, sitting in his car seat.

When the doors unexpectedly locked, she went into a panic, as any parent would.

“Be careful, don’t trust technology,” she said.

Corbin pulled up to this gas station at 8 Mile and Haggerty in Northville Tuesday afternoon with both key fobs in the car, one in the diaper bag, one in a purse.

She parked in the shade because it was over 90 degrees, but with the car off, it could get too hot for Joey.

“I thought that having a keyless entry car meant that I could leave my key in my car while I went and pumped gas,” she said. “That was not the case.”

Corbin said she closed the doors and immediately heard them lock.

“At this point, I’m panicking it’s 92 degrees outside,” she said.

Joey was crying and reaching for Corbin.

Corbin said she felt even more helpless because her phone was inside the car.

Other bystanders called 911 and tried to help.

One woman ran over with a mallet and an off-duty firefighter also came over to open the door.

Corbin said police arrived about 10 minutes later and opened the door to get Joey.

“He was just pouring sweat and I got him out and he stopped crying immediately just laid his head on my chest,” she said. “I just squeezed him and held him.”

Corbin got the 2018 Chevy Malibu a month ago, but has used keyless entry systems in the past.

After the ordeal, she called the dealership and they told her if you have the key fob inside of your purse or in any type of fabric it can actually cut the signal off.

The dealership employee also told Corbin to turn off passive lock settings on the car.

She says she will never leave the key fob in her car again.

Now, she’s hoping her story will prevent others from going through the same ordeal.

“Technology failed me and my child was in harm’s way,” she said.

Written by WXYZ.

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