The children climbed into the appliance when a woman watching them play outside went to use the restroom.

Tamara Lush / AP

Three young children suffocated to death after becoming trapped in a freezer in northern Florida, sheriff's officials said. The children — a 1-year-old girl, a 4-year-old girl, and a 6-year-old boy — had been playing outside in a yard at a home in Suwannee County, midway between Jacksonville and Tallahassee, on Sunday. They climbed into the appliance when the 4-year-old's mother, who was watching them, went inside to use the restroom.

Tragedy strikes Live Oak. Three young children died after getting trapped inside a freezer at this home. @abc27

The freezer, which was not plugged in, had only recently been brought to the house and had not yet been moved inside, Suwannee County Sheriff Sam St. John told BuzzFeed News on Tuesday. The mother was inside the home for 10–20 minutes, he said.

St. John said that the woman and the grandmother of the other children began frantically searching the property for 30–45 minutes when they were unable to locate the children. "When they opened the chest freezer, they discovered all three children inside of it, not breathing, and began resuscitative efforts and called 911," sheriff's officers said on Facebook. "Unfortunately, all efforts to resuscitate the children were unsuccessful and all three children died." Investigators say that a hasp, or metal latch, had been installed on the freezer in order to secure a padlock.

"It is believed at this time, that when the children entered the freezer, and the lid closed, the hasp fell shut, trapping the children inside," sheriff's officials said. "There was no padlock on the freezer."

This is the freezer where deputies say three young children were trapped, at least 45 minutes, before being found unresponsive.