PARAMARIBO, Suriname (CMC) — Police say they are continuing their investigations into the deaths of three toddlers, whose lifeless bodies had been brought to the emergency room of the Academic Hospital Paramaribo (AZP) in Suriname last weekend.

They said that the case has been transferred to the Major Crimes Unit and that the three children, ages one to four years, had been brought to the hospital by their mother on April 11 after leaving them in her vehicle, while she went shopping.

“Upon arrival, they showed no signs of life. By order of the Public Prosecution Service, the children’s bodies were seized by the police for autopsy. The autopsy report revealed that the toddlers likely died as a result of sunstroke and brain damage,” the police public relations said in a statement.

According to the preliminary police investigation, the mother had driven with the children to a location in the Latour district to do shopping and because the children had smallpox and were feverish, she left them in the car. She left the car windows partially open and the air conditioning on for ventilation.

The mother said that she checked on the children occasionally but at a certain time noticed that the toddlers had become weak and were having difficulty breathing. She immediately took them to the State Health Insurance Emergency Post for medical assistance.

From there, she was referred to the Emergency Department of the Academic Hospital Paramaribo, where, upon arrival, it was found that the toddlers had already died.