Two children aged two and four were found dead inside their mother’s car after suffering cardiac arrest caused by extreme heat, according to medical authorities.
The tragedy occurred on Monday, June 22, 2026, in the town of Carpentras. The vehicle was parked in direct sunlight outside their grandmother’s home in the Bois de l’Ubac neighborhood.
According to the children’s mother, she had returned from shopping when the two boys allegedly climbed into the car on their own and became locked inside. Unable to get out, they were trapped in the overheated vehicle and died as temperatures inside the cabin rose to deadly levels.
Police sources have supported this version of events.
“The children got into their mother’s car after she returned from shopping,” a police source stated. The two brothers then became locked inside the vehicle, and “their mother noticed it too late,” the source added.
However, other reports suggest that the mother may have fallen asleep and lost track of the children.
“They went to play in the car late in the morning and ended up locked inside,” a source quoted by Actu17 reported, adding that “their mother was asleep.”
Emergency responders attempted to resuscitate the children upon arrival, but it was already too late. The boys were pronounced dead at the scene. Their 33-year-old mother was hospitalized in a state of shock, and police have so far been unable to question her.
Later, prosecutor Hélène Mourges stated:
“The exact cause of death still needs to be determined, but the extreme heat hypothesis is currently the leading line of investigation.”
The prosecutor’s office announced that autopsies would be conducted in Nîmes. Authorities have opened an investigation into involuntary manslaughter involving two minors.
The mayor of Carpentras, Hervé de Lépinau, described the incident as “devastating.” He urged parents and grandparents to remain especially vigilant during periods of extreme heat.
“Cars, swimming pools, and outdoor areas without shade all become zones of deadly danger when temperatures are this high,” he warned.
