A 23-month-old boy was discovered dead inside an SUV parked outside A World of Discovery Academy in Plantation, Florida, on Monday afternoon, prompting a death investigation by local authorities. The Plantation Police Department and Fire Department responded to the scene around 5:39 p.m. after receiving a report of a deceased child in a vehicle.

Officials pronounced the toddler deceased at the scene. Detectives have since launched a formal investigation into the circumstances surrounding the child's death. The incident highlights the dangers of children being left unattended in vehicles, especially during warm weather.

According to Leslie Novoa, the owner of A World of Discovery Academy, she and the child's father found the boy in the back seat of the father's SUV. Novoa stated that the father had arrived to pick up his child but realized he had forgotten to drop the toddler off at the school earlier that day.

"Unfortunately, the dad arrived to pick up his child, and when he arrived to the parking lot, he realized he forgot the child," Novoa told ABC Miami affiliate WSVN-TV. "He never dropped off the child at the school."

Novoa described the family as long-time attendees of the preschool, with the deceased child being the third in the family to attend the institution. "They're a very loving family, and unfortunately, this happened," she added.

Investigators were observed collecting evidence at the scene for several hours, and a tent was set up around the SUV. As of Tuesday afternoon, police had not announced any potential charges.

Novoa emphasized the importance of parental vigilance, urging parents to "always check the back seat before leaving their vehicles" and to "double check the back chair always" to ensure children have been safely dropped off at their destinations.

Plantation police have stated that no further information was available at the time of their initial report. ABC News has reached out to the Plantation Police Department for additional details and comment on the ongoing investigation.