Overview
- Police say the two 15‑month‑old twin girls were discovered dead in their beds around midday on Monday and were reportedly already in a state of rigor mortis when emergency crews arrived.
- The parents called emergency services and were placed in police custody as investigators opened a probe into possible neglect causing the children's deaths.
- Four other siblings aged three to six were treated for severe dehydration in hospital, one of them flown by rescue helicopter, and officials said their lives are not believed to be in immediate danger.
- Neighbors and local reporting say the family moved to Beuvrages about two months ago and were not known to social services, a detail investigators are examining as they gather background information.
- The deaths took place during a record heatwave in northern France and forensic and medical examinations are under way to confirm cause of death and whether heat and limited access to water were decisive factors.