A two-year-old boy died after he was found critically ill inside a hot car.

Police were called after the toddler was spotted in an unattended parked car on Sunday afternoon.

Officers from the Lawrence Police Department in Kansas, smashed their way into the vehicle but the boy, identified as DéVonté Lashawn Turner, could not be saved.

It was not immediately clear how long the child had been left in the car.

Temperatures reached 31C on Sunday evening, the National Weather Service reported.

Lawrence Police Chief Gregory Burns Jr told reporters on Monday that "it appears as though heat may have been a contributing factor".

Police have said they are unclear about the specific circumstances surrounding the incident but have contacted the boy's family and investigations are ongoing.

Chief Burns said the boy was "not with his parents" at the time.

He added: "Rather, he was under the care of family members."

"Anytime we lose a citizen of our city it's very tragic. This tragedy is compounded when its a child."

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