2 young children found dead in locked car during France heatwave

Two young children, aged two and four, were found dead inside their family’s car in the southern French town of Carpentras on Monday.

According to initial findings, the siblings had accidentally locked themselves inside the car, the local prosecutor’s office said.

The children’s mother found them in the car, which was parked in the driveway of the family home. Emergency services attempted to resuscitate the children but were unable to save them.

The prosecutor’s office has opened a preliminary investigation into involuntary manslaughter. A postmortem examination has been ordered to establish the exact cause and circumstances of the deaths.

The 33-year-old mother was treated by firefighters for shock. Investigators were initially unable to question her because of her condition, authorities said. The investigation is continuing.