A 38-year-old mother in Toulon, southern France, has died after jumping from the 13th floor of her building with three of her young children, local prosecutors reported on Wednesday.
The woman is said to have thrown herself from the 13th floor of the block of flats with three of her children at around 05:30 on Wednesday morning in the Pontcarral district of Toulon, a police source confirmed. All four individuals were found dead at the foot of their building.
The woman lived alone with her seven children and had recently shown possible symptoms of psychiatric and depressive disorders, although this remains unconfirmed, according to Toulon prosecutor Raphaël Balland. The woman had reportedly stopped taking her medication.
Initial findings suggest the mother jumped intentionally with three of her children – two boys and a girl, aged three, four, and six. Authorities have ruled out third-party involvement in the tragedy, according to Balland's statement.
An investigation into "parental infanticide" has now been launched, and autopsies and toxicological tests will be carried out at the forensic institute in Marseille in the coming days. The family was unknown to the judicial authorities.
The four eldest children have been taken into the care of the relevant authorities and are currently receiving psychological support.
