MISSION VIEJO, Calif., Feb. 4 (UPI) -- A 4-year-old girl in Southern California was killed when she became trapped inside a washing machine, police said Tuesday.

The Los Angeles Times reported the child climbed into the front-loading washing machine at the family's Mission Viejo, Calif., home Monday afternoon.


Her mother told investigators the girl's 15-month-old brother managed to start the machine. She said it was several minutes before she realized what had happened.

"The mother frantically tried to rescue the daughter and called paramedics," Orange County Sheriff's Department spokesman Jim Amormino.

Amormino said the incident was under investigation.