Two children found dead inside wooden chest with police launching murder probe – World News

Anna and Mikhail Presnov, 10 and 7, were found dead in an 18th-century wooden box at their home in an Ukrainian village, after their parents left for work

Detectives in Ukraine have launched a murder investigation after two children were found dead inside an 18th century wooden chest.

Anna and Mikhail Presnov, 10 and 7, are believed to have climbed in the family heirloom and suffocated after a latch closed preventing them opening the heavy lid.

However law enforcement have not ruled out foul play in the brother and sister’s death, police told local media.

The youngsters were home alone in the village of Mykilske when their parents went to dig potatoes as seasonal workers around 18 miles away.

Their parents, Svetlana, 35, and Stanislav, 41, say they spoke to the children at 10am but an hour later, the siblings did not answer the phone.

The mother and father waited to bus home in the late afternoon.

When they arrived home and couldn’t find their children they began a search for the missing girl and boy.

“I took a bicycle, Svetlana went on foot along the nearby streets looking for them, but there were no signs of them,” said the father, an ex-miner.

The pair had been seen playing outside in the morning but a police sniffer dog directed officers back into the family home.

Police found the bodies inside the antique wooden chest, which had been passed from generation to generation in the family, originally as a dowry.

A statement from National Police in Ukraine said: “During a search of the house, the children were found in an old chest with no signs of life.

“The forensic service is currently working at the scene.

“The circumstances are being established.

“Police are considering all versions of the deaths of the brother and sister.”

A murder case has been opened, according to reports in Ukraine.

The father said: “Police say it was most likely an accident. They got inside, the chest closed and they suffocated.

“There a bracket through which to put a padlock. The latch might close in a way they could not open it from the inside.

“But the point is that they could have lifted the lid so that there was a gap for air.”

Footage shows the funeral of the tragic sister and brother, whose school was closed for the day.

They were buried next to each other.

Svetlana Zhigailo, the children’s headteacher, said at the funeral: “The children loved their parents and the parents loved the children.”