Two young siblings died after getting trapped in a fridge-freezer while they played a game of hide-and-seek.

Saori Guevara Tiller, eight, and her five-year-old brother Darien, were rushed to a hospital in Colombia after their parents discovered them inside the appliance at around 7pm on Saturday, after returning from a 20-minute shopping trip.

Doctors attempted to revive the children, but they tragically died. Police have confirmed they have now launched an investigation.

The children’s father, Brayan Guevara Trivino, insisted the freezer in the family home in Vista Hermosa was turned off at the time of the incident. 

He claimed they suffocated to death after getting inside it when the lid accidentally closed on top of them during the game. 

Brayan told Colombian daily El Tiempo: ‘We went out to get groceries and to look for a little shirt they needed for a parade when they started school.

‘We went out, and it took us about 20 minutes, more or less. The freezer was unplugged.

‘The children climbed in and got inside. They played, the lid fell, it closed on them, and they suffocated.’

Saori Guevara Tiller, eight, and her five-year-old brother Darien, were rushed to a hospital in Colombia after their parents discovered them inside the appliance at around 7pm on Saturday

He said the children frequently played hide-and-seek, and explained how he and his wife had found them after starting to search the house when they realised they were missing.

The youngsters’ mum, Karen Tiller Pana, said in an agonising tribute on social media alongside photos she posted of her children: ‘Thank you, my babies, for having given me the greatest joy in these eight years of life.

‘Thank you for having chosen me as your mother. It was the most beautiful experience I could ever have, thank you for everything we shared.

‘Soon we will be together; how short time is and how long the memory lasts. Words fail me. I loved you as much as I could, and only God will know why He took you.

‘Thank you for everything we lived and shared; you will always be in my heart for as long as it endures.’

Their aunt Lindey Almazo Rosado added in her own tribute: ‘From the deepest part of my soul I mourn the passing of my nephews, my beloved little dark-haired boy and my Saori, my beautiful girl, my star weaver.

‘Two little angels from who today are in Heaven.

‘They leave us with an immense emptiness and a sadness that hurts in the deepest part of the soul.

‘Brayan and Karen, may God give you great strength, may He embrace you and give you the strength to move forward in the midst of this great pain.

‘My beautiful children will live forever in our hearts. We will never forget them.’

The siblings’ school, Los Centauros, said in a statement: ‘We regret the deaths of Darien and Saori Guevara Tiller.

‘We express our most sincere condolences to their family at such a difficult moment.’

Local mayor Juan Andres Gomez, in a shared statement with Vista Hermosa Town Hall, said: ‘The Municipal Administration deeply regrets the death of two minors that occurred in our municipality, an event that saddens the entire community and fills us with grief.

‘According to preliminary information, the parents had left their residence at night, leaving the children alone.

The children’s father, Brayan Guevara Trivino, (pictured right, with the children’s mother, left) insisted the freezer in the family home in Vista Hermosa was turned off at the time of the incident

‘Upon returning and not finding them, they began searching and found them inside a refrigerator without signs of life.

‘They were immediately taken to the municipal hospital, where medical personnel performed resuscitation manoevres, unfortunately confirming their death.

‘We extend our most sincere condolences to their families and loved ones during this time of immense sorrow.

‘This tragic event compels us to reflect as a society and to remember that protecting children is not optional; it is a duty. Children do not understand risks and rely on adult care.

‘A moment of negligence can turn into an irreversible tragedy within minutes, which is why we make a firm call to parents and caregivers to maximize supervision and protection measures.

‘Today, it is not enough to lament; today, we must act to ensure this does not happen again.’

A friend of Brayan’s, Blanca Alzate, said late last night in a public message of support for the children’s dad: ‘There are not enough words when the pain is so great, but I want to express my deepest condolences for the loss of your two innocent little angels.

‘Brayan, whom I have known for so many years, today my heart joins yours in this very difficult moment.

‘To you and your wife, I send an embrace full of respect, solidarity, and affection, trusting that God will give you the strength needed to endure this immense pain.

‘Your little ones will always live in your hearts, in every memory, in every moment of love they planted in your lives. Today they are two little angels who accompany and watch over you from heaven.

‘May the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, fill your souls and bring you comfort in the midst of this profound sadness. You are not alone; you have my support and prayers. From afar, always with you.’