A devastated father has issued a plea to all parents after his young son died while being trapped in a hot car.
Newaz Hasan spoke out after a forgetful accident on one of the hottest days in Australia led to the death of his three-year-old son.
Officials pronounced young Arikh Hasan dead after he was left strapped in the back of a car due to his dad forgetting to take him to daycare. Just a few moments earlier, he had dropped his other son, 6, at elementary school before heading off to his usual day working from home in Glenfield.
Unfortunately, he had forgotten about little Arikh, who was sleeping in the back seat.
Now, just under a week later, he has spoken out about the fatal incident.
Speaking to the Daily Telegraph, the heartbroken father-of-two issued a statement to warn parents of the dangers of such a mistake.
"I would normally talk to my son on the way to daycare, you know, we would chat...but because he was asleep this day, the car was silent," he said. "I think that silence just made me forget he was there."
Newaz then explained how he had started working for six hours before returning to the vehicle and heading off to pick up his older son from school. At this point, he hadn't even realized his three-year-old lay unresponsive in the back of the car and just went about his day as he usually would.
It was only when he opened the back door to let his six-year-old in that he saw his son lying lifeless there.
"I drove again and parked outside the shops and I walked up to get my older son…When I came back and I opened the back door to put my boy in, then I saw him," the devastated father said.
Newaz tried to save his son by rushing him over to the nearest store and performing CPR, but it was no use - Arikh had already passed away.
"Even talking about it now, I still don't really know how it happened... There was nothing on my mind, I wasn't distracted, nothing... I just forgot."
He then desperately urged other parents to "always be 120 percent sure where your kids are."
Mujammel Hossain, a witness at the scene, told Daily Mail Australia that he heard screaming and crying and ended up having to call the emergency services on behalf of the distraught family members.
"He took the boy out of the car and took him inside the bottle shop. The father did CPR so many times but there was no response," Mujammel said.
The witness said he could tell by the boy’s condition he had already died, explaining he looked really hot with "no pulse."
After medical professionals assessed Arikh and confirmed every parent's worst nightmare, Newaz was seen breaking down in the street screaming and crying over the loss of his little boy.
He also reportedly had blood running down his hand due to punching the car window in frustration.
Newaz has not been charged with the death of his son.
Rest in peace, Arikh Hasan. Our thoughts are with the family during this difficult period.