PARIS, Nov. 29 (UPI) -- Authorities in France said a 3-year-old boy has died after being placed inside a washing machine running on cold cycle as punishment.
The parents of Bastien Champenois have been charged with their child's death, Rupert Murdoch's NewsCore wire service reported.
Christophe Champenois, 33, is accused of loading the naked toddler into the washing machine to punish him for flushing a classmate's drawings down the toilet.
The boy's mother, Charlene, 25, released him and ran to a neighbor's house.
Both parents told police the child had fallen down the stairs but the couple's 5-year-old daughter said her brother had been locked inside the washing machine and it wasn't the first time.
Christophe Champenois was charged with the murder of a minor. His wife was charged with failure to prevent a crime and not assisting a person in danger.
