(CBS-DETROIT) – A 3-year-old Michigan child died after being left in his car in a grocery store parking lot Tuesday night, police said.

The Kalamazoo County Sheriff’s Office was called to the Family Fare grocery store in Vicksburg around 3 p.m. to investigate a “suspicious death.”

CBS affiliate WWMT reported that the child was found dead in the back seat of a maroon Chevrolet Tahoe believed to have belonged to the child’s father.

A preliminary investigation determined the 3-year-old’s cause of death was prolonged heat exhaustion, according to a press release from the sheriff’s office.

“Cases where a young person has died obviously get everyone’s attention,” Kalamazoo County Assistant District Attorney Jeff Williams told WWMT. “This is very serious legally, and I think most people agree this is something that law enforcement and prosecutors should be dealing with, regardless of their general opinion on law enforcement.”

Once the investigation is complete, the Kalamazoo County Sheriff’s Office will forward the case to the District Attorney.

“We will look at all the evidence. We will talk to the witnesses if that is appropriate. We will certainly talk to the officers if that is appropriate in a case. We will look at all of that and decide if criminal charges are appropriate and if so, what charges,” Williams said.

Authorities say names will not be released until investigations are complete.

Amber Rollins of Kids Car and Safety told WWMT that even though it doesn’t get as hot here in Michigan as other states, parents should be aware of the dangers of leaving their child in a hot car.

“It’s a completely different environment inside the vehicle than outside,” Rollins said. “The heat can’t escape. It’s one of those things that nobody thinks could happen to them until it does.”

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact the Kalamazoo County Sheriff’s Office at 269-383-8748 or Silent Observer at 269-343-2100.