2 Children Die in Hope Chest After Becoming Trapped, Neighbors Console Grieving Siblings
In what is being called a tragic accident, a young sister and brother died when they become trapped in a hope chest in a town outside of Boston.
The siblings, whose identities have not been released, were found unconscious inside a hope chest that could only be opened from the outside, according to investigators.
"Several family members were home at the time of the incident," David Traub, spokesman for Norfolk District Attorney Michael W. Morrissey, said in a statement. "The hope chest was in relatively close proximity to a television that was apparently on with a substantial volume at the time."
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Police said both children were under 10 years old.
Traub revealed the family members called 911 when the children were discovered unresponsive in the home around 8 p.m. Sunday night. They were taken to local hospitals, but did not survive.
"Although preliminary investigation indicates that this incident may have been accidental, Franklin Police and Massachusetts State Police attached to the Norfolk District Attorney's office and attached to the Crime Scene Services Section are continuing to investigate and the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner has accepted both children for autopsy to establish the cause and manner of death," Traub added.
Traub said the family "is cooperating in the investigation" but did not release any more details about the family.
One of the family's neighbors stated that the two children had locked themselves in the chest while they were playing. Mary Delfino said that she comforted the victims' three older siblings after the bodies were found.
"They were in bad shape," Delfino told The Boston Globe. "They were crying and really sad."
Delfino revelaed the she was just an acquaintance of the family and insisted "it's a nice family; they're very nice people."
"The children are very well mannered, very well behaved," she added.
