Plea to parents as two children, 2 and 4, found dead in car during 40C heatwave

Plea to parents as two children, 2 and 4, found dead in car during 40C heatwave The two children were found unresponsive in the family car on their home driveway in Carpentras, southern France, by their mother, with a manslaughter investigation opened Parents and grandparents have been urged to be "extra vigilant" after two children aged two and four were found dead inside a car during extreme temperatures. The incident took place as scorching temperatures have engulfed Europe, bringing more than 40C in some places and numerous health alerts. The discovery was made in Carpentras, a town in the south of France, on Monday at midday as temperatures in the area neared 40C. The young boys, aged two and four, were found unresponsive in the family car, which was parked in direct sunlight on the driveway to their home in a cul-de-sac in the Bois de l'Ubac neighbourhood. The children were found by their mother and emergency services were immediately called, but the two victims were pronounced dead. A manslaughter investigation is now underway and a post-mortem examination found the two youngsters died of dehydration. Public prosecutor Hélène Mourges explained an initial investigation has worked on the theory that the children had entered the car without their 33-year-old mother being aware, and then became trapped. Reports claimed the mum told police she had "forgotten her children" when out shopping, with the woman allegedly giving the police several different versions of the story. A neighbour said she got "goosebumps" when she found out about the shocking incident, adding that the children had "such a zest for life". The mayor of Carpentras, Hervé de Lépinau, has now urged parents to take extra care when looking after their children during the heatwave, adding that he was "stunned by this tragedy". According to ici.fr, he said: "During these periods of extreme heat, parents and grandparents [must] be extra vigilant in supervising young children. Cars, swimming pools and unshaded outdoor areas are all zones of deadly danger with these high temperatures." Across France, 72 out of 101 departments were placed under a red heat alert as the country recorded its hottest day ever on Tuesday. Temperatures reached 44.3C in Pissos, Landes, in the southwest of the country.