August declared Purple Ribbon Month in honor of Kaitlyn's Law

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — On Tuesday the Board of Supervisors proclaimed July as purple ribbon month here in Kern County in honor of Kaitlyn's Law.

The law was named after six-month-old Kaitlyn Marie Russell who died in August of 2000 after she was left behind in a hot van by a caregiver. The following year Kaitlyn's Law was passed making it a citable offense to leave children under the age of six unattended in a vehicle without the supervision of someone at least 12 years of age.

Already this year, five children were reported to have died from hyperthermia in the U.S.