Three children found dead inside a freezer after they climbed into it while playing and got trapped

Three children found dead inside a freezer after they climbed into it while playing and got trapped

Two siblings, Dalton, 6, and Kayleigh, 1, and a third child were found dead on Sunday after they climbed into a chest freezer the family had just bought and got trapped inside.

The children were reportedly outside playing at a residence on 173rd Place in Suwannee County, Florida, when they climbed into the freezer and became stuck, the Suwannee County Sheriff's Office said.

According to adults who were present at the home, the freezer had just been brought into the residence but not inside the home or even plugged in, police interviews revealed.

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The children climbed inside the freezer "for unknown reasons" while one adult had gone inside the home to use the bathroom, authorities said.

"When the female returned to the yard, she could not locate the children so she woke up the other adult female who was at home, sleeping, preparing to work the night shift, and they began to search the property and an adjacent vacant home for the children," a police statement read.

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The children were finally found when the adults, who cannot be named for legal reasons, opened the chest freezer. When they realized none of them were breathing, they immediately administered CPR and dialed 911.

Two siblings, Dalton, 6, and Kayleigh, 1, and a third child were found dead after they became trapped inside a freezer. (GoFundMe)
Two siblings, Dalton, 6, and Kayleigh, 1, and a third child were found dead after they became trapped inside a freezer. (GoFundMe)

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First responders at the scene immediately rushed the children to a local hospital where they were pronounced dead upon arrival. While inspecting the freezer, authorities found an after-market hasp on the lid that had been installed in order to secure a padlock on it.

"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," police said.

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According to First Coast News, while the family is heartbroken over the children's death, the deceased siblings' grandmother is said to not harbor any ill feelings toward the other mother who was present at the time of the incident.

The third child is yet to be identified by authorities. (GoFundMe)
The third child is yet to be identified by authorities. (GoFundMe)

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In a bid to raise funds to cover the children's funeral expenses, a family friend who babysat the kids has established a GoFundMe page. "These two children had a tragic ending to their lives too soon or so we all think is too soon but we're told that God has a time for everyone," the page reads. "I babysat these two children I bonded with them."

That said, the third child is yet to be identified. While authorities do not suspect foul play at this point in the investigation, the case will be forwarded to the Third Judicial Circuit State Attorney's Office for review, Daily Mail reports.

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