Two 15-month-old twin sisters were found dead in their beds in the small French town of Beuvrages, near Valenciennes, as the country endures a severe heatwave. Emergency services were called to the address at around 1 p.m. local time on June 29.
Autopsy Scheduled to Determine Cause of Death
The public prosecutor of Valenciennes confirmed that the twins were discovered "lifeless in their respective beds." An autopsy is scheduled for June 30 to determine the circumstances, "exploring in particular the possibility of dehydration due to the high temperature recorded in the room," according to the statement.
Parents in Custody
A cordon remains in place outside the property, and the parents are being held at the local police station. French media report that the parents were not previously known to social services.
Heatwave Deaths Across France
The incident coincides with a record-breaking heatwave that has caused approximately 1,000 excess deaths in France last week. Temperatures exceeded 40°C for several consecutive days, followed by severe thunderstorms, overwhelming funeral services in Paris. Mortuaries ran out of space for the growing number of bodies.
World Health Organization director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus attributed the crisis to climate change, stating on X that more than 1,300 excess deaths had been recorded since June 21 "linked to high temperatures in Europe." He called heat stress a "silent killer" and noted that European infrastructure was not built for such temperatures. Many fatalities are among those aged 65 and over, with a 40% increase in deaths at home.
"Europe is the fastest-warming continent on Earth, heating at twice the global average," Tedros warned. In response, the Dutch music festival Defqon.1 was cancelled after an unprecedented code red warning for extreme heat.
