Four children die of suffocation after being trapped inside an old car

Police have opened an inquest docket after four children apparently died of suffocation after being stuck inside an old car at their home in Petsana, near Reitz, Free State, on Wednesday afternoon.

Police received a call from a house in Petsana that children were trapped inside a car.

“On arrival, police found three boys and one girl lying next to a silver Volvo S40 sedan, and all four children were already certified dead,” police spokesperson W/O Mmako Mophiring said.

It is alleged the children were last seen playing outside at about 11.30am under supervision of their 72-year-old grandmother.

“When she went to look for them she could not find them until at about 4.30pm, when one of the family members found them in the old car unconscious.

“They tried to open the doors, but the doors were locked from the inside until they forcefully opened it and took all four children out and called the emergency personnel. Upon arrival EMS certified all four children dead,” Mophiring said.

The children were named as three-year-olds, Lesedi Mnguni and Jwalane Goodness, who are cousins living at the same address. The others are two-year-old Lerato Donald Tshabalala and four-year-old Mojalefa Mokoena.