Finistère woman dies trapped in locked car during heatwave

An 83-year-old woman died on August 13 in Finistère, France, after becoming trapped inside her locked Volkswagen Polo during a heatwave. Her children reported that she likely became stuck while attempting to retrieve something from the vehicle.

According to her children, the car was equipped with a Safelock anti-theft device that can lock doors from both the inside and outside. The woman was unable to break the window, her horn was non-functional, and her keys and phone were left inside her nearby home. Before her death, she reportedly scribbled a note stating, ‘I am locked in,’ and turned up the radio in an attempt to attract attention, but no one passed by.

The family filed a complaint against the vehicle manufacturer on August 14, though the case was dismissed ten days later. The children have shared their story to raise awareness about the potential dangers of such locking mechanisms.