The father and stepmother of two children found dead inside a locked car in Xylofagou have been arrested on suspicion of alleged negligence, as Dhekelia Bases Police continue investigating the deaths.
The children, members of the same family, were found shortly after 6pm in an area of Xylofagou that falls under the jurisdiction of the Dhekelia Bases.
Xylofagou community leader Giorgos Ioulianos told philenews he was saddened by the incident. He said the two siblings had travelled from Bulgaria to spend the holidays with their father.
“It is a tragic incident that happened in our community, where two siblings from Bulgaria came to visit their father for holidays,” Ioulianos said.
He said the information received by the community was that the father had gone to work in the morning, as had his partner, and that the children then got into the vehicle and became locked inside.
Information obtained by philenews indicates that the bodies showed signs consistent with asphyxiation, although the exact cause of death has not yet been established.
The vehicle was found in a field near an apartment building, according to the information.
Ambulance staff who arrived at the scene and attempted to provide first aid found signs of rigor mortis on the children’s bodies, initial information suggests.
The children also reportedly had burns caused by exposure to the sun.
Enquiries into the circumstances surrounding the incident are ongoing.