France heatwave claims fourth child trapped in hot car

A fourth child has died in France after being left unattended in a vehicle amid a record-breaking heatwave. The 18‑month‑old was found unconscious in a car in Marseille on June 26 and later pronounced dead, authorities said. Earlier in the week, a three‑year‑old was discovered dead in a locked car in Saint‑Gratien, a Paris suburb, and two younger children were found deceased in a vehicle in Carpentras, southern France. Temperatures across France have surged above 40 °C, with Paris reaching 40.9 °C, triggering the highest heat alerts. The extreme heat has also led to wildfires, power outages and hundreds of heat‑related deaths across Europe, including more than 200 reported in Spain. French officials have warned that vehicle interiors can become lethal within minutes and urged the public not to leave children or pets unattended in cars.