Boy, 2, dies in baking hot car after shopping parents forget about him

A boy aged two-and-a-half died from dehydration after being left in a baking hot car after his parents went shopping and forgot about him.

Now the boy's parents, who have not been identified, face charges after the horrific accident.

The pair were said to be in "a state of shock". A local police spokesman added: “When the parents are in a fit state they will  be interviewed at length. This was their only son and they are naturally  traumatised.

“It appears that the father forgot all about the child when he parked up. The  child was left in the vehicle for some three hours. It was exposed to direct  sunlight.

“The child was rushed to hospital on being freed, but all attempts to revive  him failed.”

Possible charges range from neglect of a minor to manslaughter. 

The horrific accident happened in the centre of Pont-de-Chéruy, a market town  in the Rhone-Alpes region of south east France. 

While the temperature was 25C (77F), it was thought to have reached 45C (113F) inside the vehicle - a Renault which did not have its windows open.

French state prosecutor Franck Rastoul said: “The boy’s father, age 38 and a  resident of Pont-de-Chéruy, has indicated that he forgot his son was in the car  which was parked in the sun for several hours.”

The child was seen at around 5pm on Tuesday and alerted the police. They smashed windows to free him but could not revive him.