Two young boys tragically passed away inside a hot car during the exceptionally high temperatures in France. The children, identified as Kassim Benouali, aged four, and his two-year-old brother Sadek, experienced cardiac arrests after being locked inside the vehicle where temperatures reportedly soared to 70C.
Their mother, Wafa El Boubkari, found them unresponsive in the car upon returning from a swimming excursion and a visit to the supermarket in Bois de l’Ubac, Carpentras. Initially, prosecutors hinted that the children may have locked themselves in the car without their mother’s knowledge. However, Ms. Boubkari later admitted to forgetting about her children in various statements provided to the police.
In a revised statement, the mother clarified that the boys had entered the car without her noticing, locked themselves inside, and got trapped without her awareness. This led to a manslaughter investigation being initiated. The incident has shaken the nation, with investigators indicating that the car’s interior temperatures could have risen to 70C without any cooling system.
Ms. Boubkari, who has two other children under the age of 10, was residing with her mother at the time following her separation from her husband. The boys’ grandmother, Fatiha, described the event as a “huge tragedy,” explaining that her daughter and the boys had gone swimming and shopping before the unfortunate incident occurred.
The boys were found in a white Peugeot at approximately 1 pm, both in cardiac arrest. Despite emergency services’ efforts, they could not be revived. A preliminary postmortem revealed that the cause of death was dehydration due to extreme heat exposure. The boys were laid to rest at Carpentras Mosque in a funeral ceremony.
Ms. Boubkari, who experienced shock, spent the initial days of the week in the hospital. A colleague described her as a hardworking and kind-hearted woman dealing with numerous challenges. The colleague expressed sympathy for her situation, acknowledging the unimaginable pain she must be enduring.
The tragic event has deeply affected those involved, with heartfelt condolences extended to Ms. Boubkari for the horrific loss she has experienced.
