A North Carolina sheriff's office K-9 died last month after being accidentally left in a hot cruiser.

Chilli, a bomb detection K-9 that had been with the Pitt County Sheriff's Office since May 2025, died June 11, and the following day, the agency ruled that the death had been an accident, WITN-TV reports. No details were released concerning the vehicle's temperature or how long the dog was inside.

Chilli's death has led the sheriff's office to push for money to replace its older vehicles that don't have climate safety systems. While some of the vehicles for K-9 handlers have these features, others don't, including the vehicle Chilli was in.

An experienced handler had been partnered with Chilli, and the deputy was on duty at the time of Chilli's death. It's unclear if the deputy is under investigation in connection with the dog's death.