Woman dies in freak accident after car window traps her neck

A 60-year-old French woman, Bernadette Delmotte, died in a tragic accident after being trapped by her car’s automatic window in the quiet village of Bissy-sur-Fley, eastern France.

Her body was discovered inside her red Fiat 500, with the window closed tightly around her neck — a scene that initially left both family and investigators baffled.

According to French media outlets France 3 and BFM TV, Bernadette had been cleaning her car on June 13 when the fatal accident occurred.

Investigators believe she forgot to apply the handbrake and leaned through the open window to reach it. In the process, she may have accidentally pressed the automatic window control, which then rose and compressed her throat.

“It seems the handbrake hadn’t been applied,” her friend Béatrice told France 3. “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.”

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When Bernadette failed to show up for dinner that evening, friends grew concerned and went to her home, where they made the devastating discovery.

An autopsy confirmed she died of asphyxiation, and police ruled out foul play, classifying the case as a tragic accident.

Bernadette, originally from Congo and of Belgian origin, had worked as a training consultant before retiring to Bissy-sur-Fley about a decade ago. She was well known and loved in the small village community.

Her brother François said he has written to Fiat—not to seek compensation, but to raise awareness about the potential danger of automatic windows. “That will not give me back my sister,” he said. “I just want to help prevent this from happening to someone else.”

Her ashes were later scattered in the village she cherished.