By the time he was found about 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, 2-year-old Daniel Slutsky had spent almost seven hours inside a locked car with the windows up, authorities said.

The temperature outside the Bucks County day-care center where the car was parked had topped 80 degrees.

Little Daniel died about 45 minutes later of hyperthermia at St. Mary's Medical Center, in Langhorne, authorities said.

The tot had been left behind by Rimma Schvartsman, a neighbor of the boy and co-owner of the Fairy Tales day-care center, on Highland Avenue in Penndel, said Bucks County District Attorney Michelle Henry.

"She indicated to police that she simply forgot the child was in the vehicle," Henry said of Schvartsman.

After an autopsy, Bucks County coroner Dr. Joseph Campbell ruled the death accidental.

"It was a horrible tragedy," Henry said.

Schvartsman had arranged with the boy's parents to pick him up at his home about 9 a.m. and take him to the day-care center, Henry said.

"Upon arrival at the day-care, she exited her vehicle and left the child and returned around 4:30 p.m.," Henry said.

When she returned, she came upon a horrifying sight.

"The boy was found unresponsive in the car," Henry said.

Schvartsman took the child into the center, where someone called 9-1-1, Henry said. Daniel was pronounced dead at 5:17 p.m.

Henry said that the incident was under investigation and that no charges had been filed.

Schvartsman's attorney, Michael Mustokoff, said last night that Wednesday's incident was a tragic accident.

"If there were any way that she could revisit yesterday's events and undo what happened she would do so in an instant," Mustokoff said.

"Our prayers go out to the Slutsky family," Mustokoff said.

He added that his client was cooperating fully with the investigation into the boy's death. *

The Associated Press contributed to this report.