Three children aged 1, 4 and 6 died after getting trapped inside a freezer in Florida, according to a local sheriff. The heartbreaking incident occurred on Sunday, the children were playing outside in the yard when a mother of one of the children went inside to use the restroom. Alone in the yard, the kids climbed into a freezer, which was recently brought to the home and not plugged in, the sheriff’s office said.
When the woman came out to look for the children, she couldn’t find them, so she then woke up another woman who was at the home and they both began to search yard. The woman then opened the freezer and found the three young children trapped inside, not breathing, so they called 911 and gave the kids CPR, said the Sheriff.
“When they opened the chest freezer, they discovered all three children inside of it not breathing and began resuscitative efforts and called 911.”
The children were hospitalized and all died. Authorities do not expect any foul play in the case.
“An after-market hasp had been installed on the lid in order to secure a padlock on it,” the Facebook post said. “It is believed at this time that when the children entered the freezer and the lid closed, the hasp fell shut, trapping the children inside. There was no padlock on the freezer.”
Florida’s Department of Children and Families has been notified, the sheriff’s office said.