The devastated family of two young brothers who died after being found in a car during France’s heatwave has spoken of their anguish, insisting the deaths were the result of a “genuine mistake”.
Four-year-old Kassim Benouali and his two-year-old brother Sadek died after they were discovered unresponsive in the back of a car parked outside their grandmother’s home in Carpentras, southern France, on Monday.
As tributes poured in following the tragedy, the boys’ grandmother, Fatiha, described the heartbreak engulfing the family and revealed the children’s mother had spent the morning trying to keep them cool as temperatures soared.
She said: “It’s a tragedy. It was really, really hot on Monday. It was a terrible heatwave. So, my daughter Wafa took the boys to the swimming pool in the morning and then did some shopping. She then drove home with the boys who were in the car. May Allah have mercy on their souls.”
View 4 ImagesThe children’s mother is being investigated by police after the children boiled in the car(Image: AFP via Getty Images)
Hitting out at speculation surrounding the deaths, Fatiha added: “The media have been saying horrible things about my family and trying to make out that something suspicious has taken place. It was a genuine mistake, nothing illegal has happened. Everybody has been struggling to focus in this heat, she got busy, and my daughter was also dealing with a lot of other things in her life.”
Neighbours reportedly heard the screams of the boys’ mother, who is 33, after she discovered her sons in the vehicle, which had been parked in direct sunlight outside the family home in the Bois de l’Ubac district.
Emergency crews were called to the scene shortly after 1pm, but despite their efforts the brothers could not be revived, MailOnline reports.
The boys were laid to rest together on Friday following emotional funeral services attended by grieving relatives and members of the local community. Mourners gathered first at Carpentras Mosque before accompanying the brothers to their burial.
Police are continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding the tragedy.
View 4 ImagesThe boys died as France was hit by a heatwave(Image: AFP via Getty Images)
According to reports, the boy’s mother initially told investigators she had returned home after shopping and became distracted while unpacking groceries.
However, reports in French media suggest she has since said the boys entered the vehicle without her knowledge and became trapped when it automatically locked. The children’s aunt said the family remains devastated as they struggle to come to terms with what happened.
She said: “We are still trying to understand what happened and this is a very difficult time for us all. Wafa hasn’t stopped crying, she’s in a bad way, she’s barely able to speak.
“She had been going through a lot of personal difficulties, things haven’t been easy for her lately. What happened to her boys is a big tragedy and we are all doing our best to help her.”
Friends have also claimed the mother had been under significant emotional strain in recent months following difficulties in her personal life. It’s believed the mum, who also has two other young children, reportedly moved into her mother’s home around six months ago.
View 4 ImagesFrance was blasted with a heatwave this week(Image: AFP via Getty Images)
One family friend said: “She had only been at her mother’s house with her children for a few months. She didn’t live very far away in Carpentras with her husband, but I don’t know if her split from him was a permanent thing. Who knows? She may have been distracted by all the other things going on in her life.”
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Investigators believe temperatures inside the vehicle may have reached as high as 70C as France endured extreme heat linked to a weather system known as the “African anticyclone”.
A preliminary post-mortem examination found the brothers died from dehydration caused by exposure to excessive heat.
The mother reportedly faces a charge of unintentional manslaughter as investigations continue.