OCALA, Fla. (AP) -- A 3-year-old boy was hospitalized in critical condition Wednesday after being left alone for more than three hours in a day care center van.

Police are investigating the incident at Oakcrest Early Education Center and will forward their findings to prosecutors to decide if charges will be filed. The child was airlifted to Shands hospital in Gainesville.

"We are hopeful he's going to improve," said police Sgt. Russ Kern.

Kern said the child, whose name was withheld, returned to the center from a field trip to a pizza parlor around 1:15 p.m. Tuesday in one of two vans with 27 other children.

The four escorts apparently believed the others had conducted a head count before leading the children into the day care center, Kern said.

The white vans were parked against the building, sandwiched between other vans and under a giant tree limb. Darrell Howard, who was about to clean the vans, said he walked by about 4:20 p.m. and noticed a child in the front seat. He picked up the boy and carried him into the building.

When paramedics arrived, the child was still unconscious and suffering what appeared to be seizures and other symptoms of heat stroke.

Day care owner Joann Jones said, "We will do whatever it takes to make sure this doesn't happen again."

Associated Press