The front pages of the Bulgarian press today feature the news of the tragic deaths of two children, ages 8 and 10, who were found dead late Sunday afternoon inside their father’s car in Xylofafou.

Both the father and the stepmother have been arrested and are scheduled to appear before the Vases Court at 11 a.m. for a detention order to be issued, as part of the investigation into the case.

Today, the story is making headlines in Bulgarian newspapers with headlines such as:

“Two children from Bulgaria found dead inside a car in Cyprus”

“Cypriot authorities are investigating the deaths of two children from Bulgaria”

“Two children from Bulgaria were found dead inside a locked car in Cyprus”

“Two children died of asphyxiation inside a vehicle in the village of Xylofagou, Cyprus; their parents were arrested”

“The father of two children from Bulgaria who were found dead in a vehicle in Cyprus has been arrested”

It should be noted that this tragic case is still under investigation, while the exact causes of death of the two children are expected to be determined through scientific and forensic examinations.

Late Sunday afternoon, an alarm was raised in Xylofagou when two boys, aged 8 and 10, were found dead inside their father’s vehicle.

The news plunged the local community into mourning, with residents and neighbors who knew the two boys saying they were shocked by the unspeakable tragedy.

Speaking on the Alpha Kalimera show, the father’s cousin—who had come to Cyprus with the children— said that the children had come to spend their summer vacation with their father and no one expected this to happen. As he said, no one noticed anything, while the father and stepmother had gone to work. The car was locked, but one door, as he said, had not been locked; he assumed that the children had gotten into the car and fallen asleep. He didn’t realize what had happened until the police had already arrived at the scene. The father’s brother also lives in the same house; as he told the camera, he had gone to the pool at that time.

READ ALSO: “We Had No Idea”: The cousin of the father of the two children found dead inside the car | AlphaNews

The Community Leader of Xylofagos, George Ioulianos, speaking on the program, said that the children appeared to have been found by their stepmother on her way home from work, who then alerted the authorities. Ambulances and members of the British Bases Police rushed to the scene, but it was already too late for the two children, as the doctors on duty pronounced them dead at the hospital.

According to the President of the Xylofagou Community Council, the two siblings had recently arrived in Cyprus from Bulgaria to spend their summer vacation with their father, who lives in the village with his wife.

As Mr. Ioulianos reported, on Sunday morning both the children’s father and stepmother had left for work. According to the same reports, the children appeared to be playing outside the house and, under circumstances that are under investigation, they ended up inside the parked vehicle, where they were reportedly locked in and remained for several hours until they were found.

In fact, the vehicle’s windows had to be broken to free the children.

The circumstances surrounding the tragedy, however, remain under investigation. Initial indications point to the possibility of asphyxiation, though there has been no official confirmation of the exact causes of death so far.

Meanwhile, investigators are gathering evidence, taking statements, and examining every possible scenario to determine how the two children became trapped inside the vehicle.

Questions remain unanswered regarding the double tragedy in Xylofagou late Sunday afternoon, when two boys, aged 8 and 10, were found dead inside their father’s car.

Witnesses report that the children were playing outside and at some point were found in the car.

Meanwhile, another account submitted to the British Bases police authorities states that the homeowner allegedly did not want the children on the property because they were making a commotion.

Yet another witness account states that, along with the children’s father, his wife, and the children—who had come to Cyprus to spend their vacation with their father— the father’s brother was also staying there.

An expert was on the scene from the very beginning to investigate the possibility that the children had been locked in the vehicle and were unable to get out.

At the same time, the British Bases Police are investigating reports that the two children may have been left in the vehicle while they were asleep.

On Sunday evening, authorities arrested the father and stepmother of the two children as suspects in the alleged negligence related to the minors’ deaths. They were subsequently taken to the British Bases in Dhekelia, where questioning is ongoing.

The investigation is in full swing, and authorities are expected to conduct the necessary forensic and scientific examinations, which will shed light on the exact circumstances of the tragedy that has shocked all of Cyprus.

The authorities are also scrutinizing footage from nearby security cameras to determine what led up to the tragedy.

READ ALSO: “We didn’t understand anything”: The cousin of the father of the two children found dead inside the car | AlphaNews