Mom Faces Manslaughter Charges After Two Children Die Trapped in 70°C Car During Record Heatwave

A French mother is facing potential manslaughter charges after her two young children died inside a parked car that reportedly reached temperatures of up to 70C during a severe heatwave.

The youngsters, aged four and two, were found dead inside the family vehicle in the southern city of Carpentras on Monday, 22 June. The children's 33-year-old mother remains in hospital under sedation following the tragedy, while Carpentras prosecutor Hélène Mourges is conducting a preliminary investigation into the circumstances surrounding their deaths.

Mother Gives Conflicting Accounts

The mother had reportedly already issued an official statement explaining how the two children ended up locked inside the vehicle. Initially, the 33-year-old claimed she had left the children in the back of the car after returning from a shopping trip.

However, the mother allegedly later made another statement that contradicted the first. In that version of events, she claimed the two minors had managed to climb back into the car without her knowledge. The 33-year-old said she was unloading groceries and did not notice the children getting back into the vehicle.

'She first claimed she had left them in the car upon returning from a shopping trip,' according to RTL. 'Later, she stated that they had climbed back inside without her knowledge while she was unloading her groceries.'

What is clear is that the mother immediately alerted emergency services after finding her two children in need of help at around 1:20 p.m. on Monday. Reports did not provide details on how long the children had been inside the car or when the mother actually found them.

Responders arrived at the scene but were unable to revive the children. Both were eventually declared dead and taken to the Nîmes forensic institute for autopsies.

Reports added that the vehicle was stationary and that the engine was not running, meaning the air conditioning system was not operating.

At the time, outside temperatures were said to be around 40C. Inside the car, with no air conditioning functioning, temperatures were believed to have climbed as high as 70C.

'The causes of death are yet to be determined, but the heatwave is the leading hypothesis,' Mourges said in an AFP report.

Investigation Continues as Mother Remains Hospitalised

Authorities have yet to question the mother further because she remains hospitalised and under sedation.

However, any further statements are expected to be made with legal representation present as investigators continue examining the circumstances surrounding the deaths, particularly in light of the mother's contradictory accounts and the possibility of an 'unintentional manslaughter' charge.

Heatwave Placing Lives in Danger

Aside from the two children, others have also reportedly died as the heatwave continues to grip France.

In fact, a day before the deaths of the two children, two men and a woman reportedly died in the Bordeaux region due to heat-related issues, according to a Euronews report.

In that same report, Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu revealed on Tuesday that about 40 individuals drowned in France while swimming during the heatwave.

According to Météo-France, the heatwave is expected to continue through the week, with some areas expected to see temperatures rise to as much as 40C.

Because of this extreme weather event, the French Ministry of Health has urged the public to take the necessary precautions against the heatwave. These include drinking water regularly, avoiding alcohol, ensuring homes remain at acceptable temperatures and limiting physical activity, especially during the hottest hours of the day.