Ambulance lights

MONTEVALLO (AP) — Authorities say two young children died Saturday afternoon after they climbed into a vehicle outside their home and got locked inside for more than an hour.

Shelby County Coroner Lina Evans told al.com that the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office is investigating, but it appears to be just a “tragic accident.”

The parents told authorities the two boys – ages 3 and 1 – were thought to be playing in their rooms but had gone outside unnoticed apparently. The family frantically searched for them and eventually found them inside the vehicle. Both were unresponsive and rushed to Shelby Baptist Medical Center where they were later pronounced dead.

Evans said the boys had gotten into the vehicle sometime after 1 p.m. and were discovered about 3:30 p.m. 

Temperatures on Saturday were in the 90s. 

Autopsies will be done in Montgomery on Monday to determine the exact cause of death.