[Sportschosun reporter Jang Jong-ho] A tragic incident has occurred in France, where two brothers, ages 2 and 4, died after being left in a car during a heat wave. Authorities have launched an investigation into the children's mother on suspicion of negligent homicide.
According to foreign media outlets, including the Daily Mail, the two sons of a 33-year-old woman were found unconscious in a parked vehicle in Carpentras, Vaucluse, in southern France, on the afternoon of the 22nd local time.
The children were inside a car parked in front of their maternal grandmother's house, where the local temperature had climbed to 40 degrees Celsius. Rescue crews rushed to the scene and performed CPR, but were unable to save them.
The mother is said to have told investigators that she left the children in the car when she returned home after shopping.
However, her statements later changed, sharply altering the direction of the investigation.
She first said that after finishing her shopping, she left the children in the car and went into the house. Later, she claimed that while she was putting away the groceries, the children got back into the vehicle without her knowing.
A nearby resident said, "I heard the children's mother screaming when she realized what had happened," adding that "she was in a state of extreme shock."
Authorities have ordered an autopsy to determine the exact cause of death.
Meanwhile, the incident took place amid an unusual heat wave that has swept across Europe.
Weather experts explained that hot air from the Sahara Desert became trapped under a powerful high-pressure system, creating a so-called heat dome.
According to Météo-France, daytime highs in western and central France exceeded 40 degrees Celsius, with some areas reaching 43 degrees. France also recorded its hottest night since weather observations began in 1947.
Heat-related damage is also mounting. The French government said at least 40 people have died since the 18th after swimming in rivers and lakes to escape the heat. Nationwide, 845 schools were closed, and more than 1,800 others shortened class hours.
Germany and the United Kingdom are also bracing for record-level heat.
Jang Jong-ho bellho@sportschosun.com
