Two toddlers have died after suffocating in an abandoned old car parked a stone’s throw away from their home. The incident, which took place at Makakatlela ward in Oodi just outside the capital city last Thursday, has left the two toddler’s parents with more questions than answers.

According to eyewitnesses who spoke on condition of anonymity, the two toddlers a nephew and his uncle - were left in the care of their 19-year-old sister as the parents had left for work.

The 19-year-old is said to have assumed that the two children were playing at the neighbours’ homestead as they normally do.

She did not raise an alarm only until it was almost time for the parents to come home.

According to our source, as she frantically looked all over for the children, she did not find them. Little did she know she was walking in circles from where they are as they struggled for air, trapped, and helpless in the old car.

It was only late in the evening when another family member by chance looked inside the old car parked outside, where they found the two children’s lifeless bodies trapped inside the vehicle.

“At that point, we hoped they were only sleeping. We really hoped they were just tired from playing and they were sleeping,” the source said. Their worst fears were confirmed after the arrival of the police and the two toddlers were confirmed dead upon arrival at the hospital.

This incident was also confirmed by the Broadhurst Police Station commander, Obusitswe Lokae. The police boss told The Monitor that the police received the report at around 7.30pm.

“We cannot for sure ascertain the cause of death at the moment, but preliminary

investigation suggest it could have been as a result of suffocation as they struggled to get out of the old car,” the police boss added. According to Lokae, it seems the two were locked and trapped inside for a prolonged period leading to suffocation.

When The Monitor team visited the family over the weekend, preparations for the funeral of the two deceased were underway.

Their young parents were surrounded by the grandparents as they struggle to come to terms with the unfortunate incident. Asked to comment on the matter the family says they don’t have any answers and are waiting for police to brief them and as such they had

nothing to say.