A tragic accident claimed the life of a 60-year-old French woman, Bernadette Delmotte, after she was trapped by her car’s automatic window in the quiet village of Bissy-sur-Fley, located in eastern France.
Bernadette’s lifeless body was found inside her red Fiat 500, with the window tightly closed around her neck, leaving her family and investigators puzzled at first. French media outlets, including France 3 and BFM TV, reported that the fatal incident took place on June 13 while Bernadette was cleaning her car.
Authorities believe that Bernadette had forgotten to apply the handbrake and, while leaning through the open window to reach it, accidentally pressed the automatic window control. This triggered the window to rise, compressing her neck.
Her friend Béatrice spoke to France 3, explaining, “It seems the handbrake hadn’t been applied. The car started rolling backward, and she tried to stop it by reaching inside. Her hand must have touched the button, and by the time she straightened up, the window had closed on her neck.”
When Bernadette didn’t show up for dinner, her friends grew worried and visited her home, where they made the heartbreaking discovery. An autopsy confirmed that Bernadette died of asphyxiation. Police ruled out foul play and classified the incident as a tragic accident.
Originally from Congo and of Belgian descent, Bernadette had retired to Bissy-sur-Fley about ten years ago, after working as a training consultant. She was well-liked in the close-knit village community.
In an effort to raise awareness about the potential danger of automatic windows, her brother François wrote to Fiat. “That will not give me back my sister,” he said. “I just want to help prevent this from happening to someone else.”
Bernadette’s ashes were later scattered in the village she had cherished.
