Overview

• Passersby in Freiburg noticed two-year-old and three-year-old siblings alone in a locked car on a 28 °C afternoon and alerted emergency services.
• Police broke the driver’s window to free the children, who had elevated body temperatures but were uninjured and needed no further treatment.
• The vehicle’s interior had become severely overheated despite a slightly open window, underscoring how quickly temperatures can soar in parked cars.
• Authorities are examining whether the parents violated their supervisory duties and are assessing potential legal and financial penalties.
• This incident is the latest in a series of overheated-vehicle emergencies in Germany that has driven calls for rear-seat reminder technology.