Two 15-month-old twins in northern France died at home from dehydration during the French heatwave, according to initial investigations reported on Monday.
Citing the police, broadcaster RTL and other French media reported that the two girls were found dead in their beds at midday in Beuvrages near Valenciennes.
Four siblings aged between 3 and 6 were also taken to hospital dehydrated, one of them by rescue helicopter. The parents were taken into police custody.
According to the reports, the parents themselves alerted the emergency services. The twins were said to have already been in a state of rigor mortis.
It is unclear what led to this.
Neighbours told RTL that the family had moved to the town only two months ago and had not drawn attention. The parents were not known to social services, broadcaster France 3 reported.
Northern France, like much of the country, had been under the highest heat warning level, red, in recent days. Since the weekend, however, temperatures have fallen again.
