French heatwave: three-year-old dies after becoming trapped in car
An investigation for involuntary manslaughter has been opened
The emergency services were unable to save the boy
frederique/Shutterstock.
Another tragedy involving a three-year-old boy found dead inside a car took place in France amid the extreme heatwave.
The incident took place in Saint-Gratien, Val-d’Oise on Wednesday, June 24, when the child slipped away from his parents, entered the family's unlocked car and is believed to have become trapped inside.
The mother at the time was napping with her other 18-month-old child, while the father was working in the garden shed. The three-year-old boy, who was sleeping in the living room, is thought to have woken up and got into the car.
It is estimated that the boy was unsupervised for 45 minutes. He was found unconscious in the car by his parents, who, along with emergency services after they arrived, attempted to resuscitate him, but the boy was pronounced dead at 7.35pm.
An investigation has been opened for involuntary manslaughter, while the mother has been hospitalised.
This is the second incident in a span of just a couple of days, as on June 22 another two children, aged two and four, died after also getting trapped in a car.
In that case, the mother had come back from shopping and was putting her groceries away, having left the car unlocked, when the two children found their way into the vehicle and accidentally locked themselves in. They were later found in cardiac arrest and, despite efforts to save them, could not be revived.
The intense heat, which has placed 72 departments under red alert on Thursday, June 25, makes leaving children or pets in a car even for a few minutes extremely dangerous, as temperatures rise rapidly and can reach 60C within minutes.
France’s Ministry of Health has also activated the country’s Heatwave Information Service hotline for anyone needing help coping with the heat. The service is free and operates from 9.00am until 7.00pm. The number is 0800 06 66 66.
