IPOH, Oct 17 — A six-year-old boy who was found unconscious in a washing machine by his grandmother yesterday, was believed to have climbed onto the machine which was in operation, before falling into it.

Ipoh district police chief ACP Yahaya Hassan said the boy, an autistic child, was believed to have climbed onto the washing machine while everyone in the house was asleep at about 9.30am.

"When the child was found, the top-loading machine was no longer in operation,” he said in a statement today.

In the incident at Kampung Sungai Tapah Tambahan, Majoi yesterday, the victim was brought in unconscious to the Raja Permaisuri Bainun Hospital and was pronounced dead at 11.02am.

The results of the post-mortem revealed that the cause of death was due to head injuries caused by blunt trauma to the head.

The case is being investigated under Section 31(1)(a) of the Child Act 2001 (Act 611).

Yahaya said the boy was laid to rest in Johor today. — Bernama