Two children were found deceased in a hot car at their family’s home off Alabama 25 on the afternoon of Saturday, Aug. 15.

The 1-year-old and 3-year-old brothers were playing when they accidentally locked themselves in the car at about 3 p.m., Shelby County Coroner Lina Evans said.

“They weren’t in the car that long,” Evans said. “It doesn’t take that long when it’s 135 degrees.”

A postmortem exam will be conducted in Montgomery to confirm the children’s deaths were heat-related, Evans said.

Evans and the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office are still investigating the case.

Evans urged parents to take precautions by locking their vehicles to prevent young children from getting inside while they are playing, especially during the summer when temperatures are elevated.

“Little kids can easily get flustered and not be able to get out,” Evans said. “It literally only takes minutes for them to succumb to heat.”