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Joziah Diaz-Beltran

March, 2004 – July, 2005

King Joziah

Joziah a biblical Hebrew name meaning Jehovah has healed or Jehovah helps. Joziah became the King of Judah at age 8. My Joziah; however, was no biblical King, but my King. He was my handsome baby boy with the most beautiful smile. He was used by God to help me and those who surround me to learn to treat every day as if it were our last. To help me stay in God’s path so that someday I will be reunited with my Lord and my Joziah. To help me promote car safety to help others avoid this painful experience.

On July 8, 2005 my King Joziah fell asleep and never woke up and won’t until the second advent of our Jesus Christ. It was a gorgeous summer day in Las Vegas where the temperature was about 105 degrees. It was a Friday afternoon when my ex-husband left our little one in his black SUV in front of his brothers’ house.

On Friday morning we woke up to run errands and to be prepared before sunset to receive our Sabbath day. I left with my then 6 year–old son George and my 16 month-old son Joziah to the hospital to get pre-op test done. My now ex-husband Pablo left with his three children who were here for the summer from Texas and dropped them off with his brother and left to take care of some client files. It was about 2:45 by the time I left the hospital with my boys. Joziah was tired and hungry and I still needed to go to the office. I then called his dad to meet me so he can take our son with him to his brothers’ house. Although Pablo did not want to take Joziah with him to his brothers’ house because he was going to be busy, we still met and he quickly transferred Joziah with the car seat from my car to his SUV. Joziah had fallen asleep in my car and didn’t wake up with the transfer. I was so rushed that I didn’t do what I always do to date…give him his kiss, hug, and tell my kids Godbless you and I love you.

That was the last time I saw him alive as I drove away to the office with my six year-old son George. Joziah’s dad drove about eight minutes away from our house where we met to transfer our son to his brothers’ house. Pablo and his 6 year-old son Noah arrived, parked, and got off the SUV, leaving behind Joziah in the SUV.

Never in my mind did I think this could happen to me or someone I knew. Just a summer before when we recently had moved to Las Vegas, Pablo was watching the news when a similar case was showing. Pablo stated very upset how can you forget your own child?

I was with my son George headed towards our house when something changed my mind and I began driving towards my brother-in-law’s house. I arrived about 6:40pm and walked in. The in-laws asked where was Joziah, it was then when we ran to the other side of the house to ask his dad where was my baby Joziah. He still stated I had him and when I reminded him of our transfer he then remembered and it was too late. My son Joziah was in the car for over three hours in a black SUV in a hot summer day where the temperatures are over 100 degrees outside. Can you imagine the temperature inside the black SUV?

We ran to the front of the house while I was already calling 911. Pablo broke the window and unbuckled my baby. My sister-in-law took him out of the car seat and we laid him on the living room floor and began CPR. I knew it was too late, but I still tried and prayed that he would breathe.

The Police officer arrived and continued CPR. The Officer then carried him into the ambulance. I ran behind him into the ambulance hoping to take him to the hospital. I was wrong. The ambulance never moved. I was taken out of the ambulance and they shut the doors. The only thing left for me to do was kneel on the street and pray to our Lord for strength.

Next time I saw my Joziah was about three hours later when the coroners’ car arrived. They gave me a couple minutes to go into the ambulance to say my last words. What did they do all these hours in the ambulance? I don’t know. I’ve always wondered and will always wonder if he ever responded and what did they do to revive him. I sang to my Joziah his goodnight Christian songs while I ran my fingers through his soft black hair like I did every night at bedtime. As a believer I know he is asleep he is not dead. He cannot feel, hear, or see, but is in a temporary sleep stage until the second coming of Christ. That is why I didn’t say Goodbye, but Goodnight.

I just wished I would have had more time with him in the ambulance to hold him and kiss him. Oh, I so wish I could have told him Godbless you, give him his kiss, and hug before I last saw him alive. This world is full of responsibilities, stress, and emotions can cause even the loving and attentive parents to misremember the most precious and important things in our lives.

Don’t ever say this can’t happen to you! I hope my son’s story will stay with you always and help you prioritize and slow down and enjoy every day with your love ones. Remember to treat each day as if it were your last. My King Joziah is asleep for now until resurrection day. In the meantime I pray to my Lord and Savior to give me the strength, knowledge, and wisdom to stay in the narrow path and raise my children in the light so that someday we will be reunited FOREVER.

– Joziah’s mommy

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