An 18-month-old baby has died after being found unconscious in an overheated car on the campus of the Timone University Hospital in Marseille, the hospital confirmed on Friday. The child was discovered suffering from hyperthermia on Tuesday 23 June, in the car park of the medical campus belonging to Aix-Marseille University, as temperatures in the city reached 33 °C. The Bouches-du-Rhône département was on orange alert for a heatwave at the time.
The infant was rushed to the accident and emergency department in a critical condition but ultimately died. The exact time of death was not disclosed until Friday 26 June. This is the fourth such death of a child in France this week, following a case in Val-d'Oise on Thursday and two in Carpentras on Monday.
A Tragic Pattern of Heat-Related Child Deaths
In Val-d'Oise, a three-year-old boy died after becoming trapped in a family car in Saint-Gratien, near Paris. According to the Pontoise public prosecutor, the child had climbed into the vehicle while his father believed he was napping; the child lock prevented him from escaping. On Monday, the bodies of two children, aged two and four, were discovered in a family car in a residential car park in Carpentras, in the south of France.
These incidents highlight the deadly risks posed by extreme heat, particularly when children are left unattended in vehicles. The civil protection service responded to the Marseille incident, but the child could not be saved. An investigation has been opened by the public prosecutor's office, led by the territorial crime division, to determine the circumstances. According to media reports, the parent is believed to have forgotten the child in the car while going to work on campus.
Éric Berton, president of Aix-Marseille University, expressed deep sadness in a statement sent to AFP: "It is with deep sadness that we learned of the tragic incident that occurred on the Timone campus. We extend our sincerest condolences to the victim's family and loved ones. We also express our support for all those who witnessed or have been affected by this tragic event." The university has set up a listening and psychological support unit for staff and witnesses.
This week's deaths come as a severe heatwave grips much of Europe. Scientists have noted that such extreme temperatures are virtually impossible without climate change, and the continent is grappling with the consequences. In Marseille, outreach teams have been working to protect homeless populations from the heat, as reported in Marseille Outreach Teams Battle to Protect Homeless from Record Heatwave. Meanwhile, hospitals in eastern Europe are also overwhelmed as the heatwave shifts continent-wide, as detailed in Eastern Europe's Hospitals Overwhelmed as Heatwave Shifts Continent-Wide.
The repeated tragedies have sparked calls for greater awareness and preventive measures. In France, the government has invested in cooling infrastructure, such as the €80 million plan to cool schools, but the recent deaths underscore the urgency of addressing the risks to vulnerable populations, especially children. As the heatwave continues, authorities urge parents and caregivers to never leave children unattended in vehicles, even for short periods.
