A three-year-old boy has tragically suffocated to death after locking himself inside a washing machine while playing hide and seek.

The young boy named Marcel, from Poland, was playing with his five-year-old sister while their parents were taking a nap on June 18.

The boy climbed into the washing machine inside the bathroom and managed to lock himself inside, local media reported.

His parents began to frantically search for him when they could no longer hear him playing.

Marcel's dad soon discovered his son and immediately called an ambulance.

When paramedics arrived the toddler was in a critical condition and died just hours later.

His parents and medics performed CPR on the Marcel for more than an hour before he arrived at hospital.

An autopsy revealed that the little boy had died from suffocation due to lack of oxygen in the washing machine.

According to local media, public prosecution has begun an investigation into the incident and his parents could be accused of involuntary manslaughter.