The mother of two children who died after being left in a car during a heatwave in southern France may face a manslaughter charge, according to French media. The boys, aged two and four, were found in cardiac arrest by their mother in a residential parking lot in Carpentras on June 22, 2026. Despite paramedics' efforts, they could not be saved.
Mother unfit for interview
The mother has been taken into care by emergency services and is reportedly not fit to be interviewed yet. The Carpentras prosecutor's office initially said a "heatwave theory" was the leading hypothesis, but later announced an investigation into manslaughter. Autopsies will be conducted at the Nîmes forensic institute.
Heatwave conditions
France was experiencing a major heatwave, with temperatures in Carpentras reaching nearly 40°C on the day of the incident. Neighbors described being "heartbroken" and in shock. The car was parked in the Bois de l'Ubac neighbourhood.
