Thai police have charged two people in Nonthaburi province with concealing the body of a toddler in a refrigerator, local media reported on Jan 8.

The couple, Harnnarong Praiphanom and his wife Marisa Thong-iam, had failed to report the child’s death to the police, the Bangkok Post reported.

Harnnarong, 31, and Marisa, 25, were looking after the two-year-old because the child’s parents, who are Harnnarong’s friends, are drug addicts, according to Thai news website Thaiger in its report on Jan 6.

The couple said the boy died from choking on sticky rice. The claim was confirmed by autopsy results on Jan 7.

However, the boy’s aunt said she did not believe the autopsy findings. The police, too, said that there were many bruises on the boy’s arms and legs.

Marisa recounted that on Jan 2, she was sleeping with the child by her side.

At some point, she noticed ants crawling into his eyes. She also saw that his hands and mouth were filled with sticky rice.

When Harnnarong returned home some time later, the couple decided to put the child in a bag because they were afraid to seek help, Thai PBS reported.

Marisa said Harnnarong later put the boy’s body in the fridge.

The incident came to light when Harnnarong’s grandmother, who lived in the same house, alerted police to a foul smell coming from within the premises.

On Jan 6, the police found the body.