I don't get it either but truly believe heat affects cognition. Being from Texas could feel my IQ drop in the heat despite having been born & raised, in shape & acclimated. It's awful. I can only imagine. I'd never forgive myself after such a thing.
I don't miss that heat..... AT ALL.

I think we just hear about it more,

No - it's new - just like kids wandering off and drowning in the backyard pool or walking across the street and getting hit by car or getting strangled by window blind cords. Parents are more caught up in other things and losing focus on the most important things like the safety of their children.

so sad I read about a guy that left his newborn in a car seat on top of the car while taking flowers to her mother still in the hospital after birth. Luckily cars stopped and saved the infant when it blew off the hood. I don't know how people can be so spaced out

I am willing to bet that the up tick in these types of deaths began to rise with the inception of cell phone use.

It used to happen - yes. I think it happens even more now with people being utterly preoccupied. I still travel with my cell phone in my purse - unless I'm using it to navigate.