Malaysian boy, 6, dies after falling into washing machine

A six-year-old boy died on Monday (Oct 16) after he fell into a washing machine at a house in Ipoh, Malaysia.

District police chief Yahaya Hassan said that the boy, who had autism, is believed to have climbed onto the top-loading washing machine, when he fell into the appliance which was in operation, Bernama reported.

He was found unconscious by his grandmother at around 9.30am and rushed to the hospital, but the boy was later pronounced dead at about 11am.

Autopsy results revealed the cause of death to be blunt head trauma, reported the New Straits Times.

The case is being investigated under Section 31(1)(a) of the Child Act 2001 for ill-treatment, neglect, abandonment or exposure of the child in a manner likely to cause him/her physical or emotional injury.

"The police would like to advise and remind the public, especially parents or guardians, to not let any child under their care be left without adequate supervision to prevent tragedies," Yahaya said. 

New Zealand toddler dies in similar incident

A little girl living in Christchurch, New Zealand, died in a similar incident last February.

She was found unconscious in a front-loading washing machine "half full of still and murky water", The New Zealand Herald reported.

The child was rushed to hospital where doctors revived her but she died the next day.

This February, coroner Alexander Ho released his findings of the incident, stating that the girl had "voluntarily climbed into the washing machine" and that there was no evidence of the involvement of any other person in her death.

Forensic pathologist Dr Martin Sage ruled her cause of death to be a severe brain injury, secondary to "enclosed space asphyxia".

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lim.kewei@asiaone.com