CLEVELAND -- It happens every summer: Parents forget their baby in the back seat of their car and the baby is found dead from heat exhaustion hours later.

Last summer, Brenda Slaby made national headlines when her 2-year-old daughter died after being left in the back of her SUV outside the school where she was assistant principal.

Slaby told police in an emotional interview, "I just tried to be everything to everybody, and I failed my daughter."

We all say it could never happen to us but it happens more than we think. The safety group "Kids And Cars.org" reports that almost 20 children die every year after a busy mom or dad forgets them in a broiling car.

Despite all the news coverage, just a couple of weeks after the Slaby case last year came the death of a 22-month-old in the Orlando area.

And no income level is immune. Bill Gallagher is a successful lawyer. But he forgot to drop off one of his children at day care one day and only found the boy when he returned to the car.

Bill Gallagher said, "Thank God I left my briefcase in the back seat. When I went back to get my briefcase, there's my boy, still strapped in his seat."

There may be help for rushed parents. A company called Baby Alert has invented a $50 alarm called the Child Minder. It is designed to alert parents if they leave a child behind.

Heather Bingham, a mom of three kids ages 3 and under says, if it works, it might be worthwhile. She said, "It could definitely be something that could help some days, when everything's crazy, and can keep you alerted."

The Child Minder is a clip you put on your child's car seat strap. Once the baby is strapped in, a transmitter sends a signal to your keychain.

Consumer specialist John Matarese tested the system on a doll, leaving it trapped in the locked minivan, where a thermometer showed the temperature hit 124 degrees in minutes.

Before getting 25 feet from the van, the alarm went off. The keychain started beeping, to alert the parent the baby was still strapped in his seat. Yes, Child Minder worked as promised.

Meanwhile, while Heather -- our mom of three -- was impressed, she'll stick with a simpler tactic that works for her: putting her bag in the back seat.

"I usually put the diaper bag and my purse back there," she said. "That way you have to grab it, and it reminds you the kids are back there."

Either method just might save a life.

At this point you may be saying, "I would never leave my child behind in a car. What kind of person does that?"

If you're in a rush every morning with young children in tow, consider doing something extra to keep your baby safe.

Whether it's a purse in the back seat or a high-tech gadget, spending a few extra minutes and dollars is not a waste of money.