Sad News

Update: Two children die in car
Sheriff's deputies find twin 3-year-olds after search in Montara
By Phil Anderson
The Capital-Journal
Published Sunday, August 24, 2008 at 7:47 p.m. CDT
Twin 3-year-olds died this afternoon after being shut inside a car for more than two hours in the Montara area just south of Topeka, officials said.

The twins, a boy and a girl, were last seen about 1 p.m. and were reported missing about 1:40 p.m., officials said.

The children were discovered about 3:15 p.m. inside a silver, four-door Daewoo car parked in the driveway of their home.

Shawnee County sheriff's Sgt. Akim Reynolds said the boy was found in the front seat of the car. The girl was found in the back seat.

Sheriff's deupties performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation on both children before emergency medical responders arrived on the scene.

The girl was pronounced dead at the scene. The boy was taken by American Medical Response ambulance to a Topeka hospital, where he was prounounced dead.

Reynolds said the doors to the car were unlocked.

The temperature at 2 p.m. was 77 degrees. Reynolds said the temperature inside a car with its windows up could be 20 to 30 degrees warmer.

Deputies responding to the children's home, 6801 S.W. Windsong, conducted a search in the neighborhood and enlisted the assistance of a Kansas Highway Patrol helicopter before the twins were found inside the car.

No foul play is suspected, though the mother was being questioned by detectives, Reynolds said.

Autopsies are to be performed on the children, and the case remains under investigation.

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