The Stanislaus County coroner's office conducted an autopsy Tuesday on the 3-year-old Modesto girl found dead in her family's car. However, it will take three to four weeks for toxicology reports to reveal the exact cause of death.

But all indications are that Andie Marie Preciado died from extreme heat exposure after crawling into her family's GMC Suburban during Sunday's hottest hours.

"It got up to 98 degrees that day," police Detective Dennis Holmes said. "We're figuring 120 degrees might be an accurate idea of the temperature inside that vehicle."

Andie's father and older sister discovered the body at about 6 p.m. Andie apparently had climbed into the Suburban a few hours before she was discovered missing, Holmes said.

Paramedics said it appeared that she had been dead for some time, police spokesman Doug Ridenour said.

Adolfo and Linda Preciado and their six children attended church Sunday morning and then went to a relative's house. The family returned home at about 3 p.m., Holmes said.

The Preciados all went inside and began doing various things. One of Andie's sisters told detectives that she saw Andie playing in the living room about half an hour after the family got home.

Several hours later, someone noticed that Andie had not been seen, and everyone began looking for her. That led them to the Suburban, where Andie was found lying on a blanket between the front and back seats, Holmes said.

"The tragedy is the car's sitting right in the driveway," Holmes said. "It wasn't like the parents left their daughter inside the car to go shopping or something.

"I can't even begin to describe their grief. They're just very nice people going through a lot of grief right now."

Andie was described as a very active child who especially liked playing outside, Holmes said.

"From talking to her neighbors and family, Andie was just a real nice little girl," Holmes said.