A mother and father have been formally charged by police after their 15-month-old twin daughters were found dead in their bed in Beuvrages, near Valenciennes, northern France. The tragedy unfolded on Monday, June 29, when emergency services responded to a call at around 1pm and discovered the twins deceased. An autopsy conducted on Tuesday confirmed the sisters died of dehydration and were underweight at the time of death, according to reports from The Daily Star.
Details of the Incident
The parents, who reside in social housing managed by the Société immobilière du Grand Hainaut (SIGH), contacted emergency services after reportedly finding the twins unresponsive. The girls had been put to bed on Sunday evening at approximately 7pm and were not discovered until 18 hours later. Four other siblings, aged three, four, five, and six, were also found suffering from dehydration. One of them was airlifted to hospital in critical condition, as reported by RTL.
Legal and Welfare Actions
The Valenciennes prosecutor's office confirmed that the parents were formally charged and remain in custody. All surviving siblings have been taken into care by Child Welfare Services. According to LeParisien, the prosecutor's office stated that the family "was not under the supervision of a juvenile court judge" and no prior report had been filed regarding the children's welfare.
Community Impact
The mayor of Beuvrages noted that the family had moved into the commune approximately two months ago. The incident has shocked the local community, with authorities investigating the circumstances leading to the twins' deaths. The autopsy results underscore the severity of neglect, highlighting dehydration and underweight conditions as contributing factors.
