Two young brothers, aged two and four, were found dead in a family car in Carpentras, southern France, as the country endures a severe heatwave with temperatures reaching 40°C. The discovery was made at midday on Monday in the Bois de l'Ubac neighbourhood, where the car had been left in direct sunlight on the driveway.
Manslaughter Investigation Launched
The boys' mother called emergency services after finding them unresponsive, but paramedics were unable to revive them. A post-mortem examination confirmed the cause of death as dehydration. Public prosecutor Hélène Mourges stated that initial enquiries suggest the children may have climbed into the vehicle without their mother's knowledge and became trapped inside.
Reports indicate that the 33-year-old mother told police she had "forgotten her children" while out shopping, and she allegedly provided several conflicting accounts of events. A manslaughter investigation has been initiated.
Community and Official Reactions
A neighbour described getting "goosebumps" upon learning of the tragedy, adding that the children had "such a zest for life." Hervé de Lépinau, the mayor of Carpentras, expressed being "stunned by this tragedy" and appealed to parents to exercise greater caution during the heatwave. Speaking to ici.fr, he said: "During these periods of extreme heat, parents and grandparents [must] be extra vigilant in supervising young children. Cars, swimming pools and unshaded outdoor areas are all zones of deadly danger with these high temperatures."
Record Heat Across France
Across France, 72 out of 101 departments were placed under a red heat alert as the country recorded its hottest day ever on Tuesday, with temperatures soaring to 44.3°C in Pissos, Landes, in the southwest. The tragedy has underscored the dangers of leaving children unattended in vehicles during extreme heat.
