Three-Year-Old Boy Dies After Becoming Trapped in Car Near Paris

com reported. The boy climbed into the car on Wednesday after his father told him to take a nap, but the child-lock system activated and held him inside as interior temperatures rose above 85 degrees Fahrenheit. The boy remained in the vehicle for 45 minutes before his parents found him unconscious.

First responders were unable to resuscitate him, and he was pronounced dead at the scene. His mother was hospitalized for shock following the recovery of his body, according to public prosecutor Guirec Le Bras. Wednesday marked France's hottest day since record-keeping began in 1947.

Officials placed 72 départements on high alert and 17 on moderate alert for the heat. Average June temperatures in Paris range from 57 to 73 degrees Fahrenheit. Two other children died after becoming trapped inside a family car in Carpentras in southeastern France.

Their causes of death remain undetermined, town prosecutor Hélène Mourges said. Temperatures there exceeded 100 degrees Fahrenheit on Monday. Three elderly people aged 80 to 95 also died from health issues linked to the extreme temperatures.

At least 48 people drowned in swimming accidents during the heatwave, authorities said. The current heatwave stems from an Omega block, a high-pressure system in the upper atmosphere that prevents storms from dissipating heat, Weather.com reported. France's 2003 heatwave killed 15,000 people nationwide.