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Child died in neighbour's yard not construction site, Mäntsälä police update says

A six-year-old boy died and a five-year-old was seriously injured in the incident on Sunday afternoon.

Photo shows candles on the ground.
Candles close to the spot in Mäntsälä where a six-year-old child died on Sunday. Image: Vesa Moilanen / Lehtikuva
  • Yle News

Police in Mäntsälä have provided more details about the death of a six-year-old boy in the town on Sunday.

The accident was previously reported to have occurred at a construction site, but on Monday morning police said it took place in a neighbour's yard.

According to Detective Chief Inspector Freddie Cederlund, the two children — aged five and six — were playing in the yard when they climbed up on a stand containing fiber cement boards.

"It was a construction board rack with wheels underneath," Cederlund explained.

The children fell off the rack and suffered serious injuries after the cement boards landed on them. One of the children was resuscitated on site but died from his injuries. The other child also sustained serious injuries and was rushed to hospital.

Although the police are investigating the incident, there is currently no suspicion of a crime.

"We are going through the accident, what happened. After that, we will see if there is reason to suspect a crime," Cederlund said.

It is understood the boys were neighbours and that they were playing in the yard of the younger child's home.