New details released about boy who died after being found by parent in car in Phoenix

Authorities released the name and age of a boy who died after being found by a parent Wednesday evening in a parked car in south Phoenix.

The child was identified as 2-year-old Marcelino Valdez, the Phoenix Police Department said Thursday.

Officers responded to a report of an injured person at a home on Fawn Drive near 24th Street, just south of Baseline Road, about 6:30 p.m.

The boy was inside the home when police arrived. He was taken in critical condition to a nearby hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.

It’s still unclear how the boy got into the car. The investigation is ongoing, but police said Thursday there were no signs of foul play.

The Maricopa County Medical Examiner’s Office will determine the child’s cause of death.

This is an updated version of a story originally published July 15, 2026.

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