Four Children Died After They Were Trapped In An Unused Freezer While Playing

Four young children died when they suffocated after being trapped in an unused freezer in Namibia.

The tragedy happened in Katima Mulilo, located in the northeastern Zambezi Region. The children, aged between three and six, were found on Monday afternoon in the densely populated area, having reportedly been playing inside the old freezer. Namibian police are investigating the heartbreaking deaths.

How The Four Children Died In A Freezer

Preliminary investigations suggest the children became accidentally trapped inside the deep freezer while playing. The police believe the latch on the freezer door could only be opened from the outside, leaving the children stuck for about an hour and a half.

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Two of the children were found dead at the scene, while the other two were rushed to the nearby Katima Mulilo State Hospital, where they were declared dead upon arrival.

Aranges Shoro, one of the fathers, told Namibian media:

“I am told that one of the other parents came looking for the children and saw their shoes next to the fridge. When they opened it, they found the children inside the freezer. When I came in, I saw paramedics attending to my daughter and another girl. They rushed them to the hospital while the other two were loaded in police mortuary vehicles.”

Police Comment On The Tragedy

Four Children Trapped Freezer — *Four Children Died After They Were Trapped In An Unused Freezer While Playing [Image: Getty]*

Zambezi regional police commander Andreas Shilelo added:

“There was a hook on the freezer that could only be opened from the outside. They were stuck for about an hour and a half and suffocated. Later, the guardian decided to look in the freezer, only to find the children inside of it.

“It’s alleged that the children, who were playing together, jumped into the old freezer but could not come out as the freezer locked. Two of the children were already dead in the freezer, while the other two that were rushed to the hospital were declared dead upon arrival.”

The unused freezer was reportedly left outside a home belonging to one of the affected families. It remains unclear why the non-functional appliance had not been removed or secured to prevent such an accident.

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