Two young children found in flat with lifeless bodies of their parents who 'died from eating poisoned pickles'

Two young children have been found alive in their home in Russia three days after their parents died from allegedly eating 'poisoned pickles'.

A five-year-old girl and one-year-old boy were discovered when relatives could not reach Alexander and Viktoria Yakunin, described as the 'perfect couple'. 

They missed a family gathering and eventually their daughter answered the phone.

The youngster said her father, 30, and mother, 25, were 'sleeping' for a long time, and added that Mr Yakunin's corpse had 'turned all black'.  

Alexander Yakunin (pictured with his two children) and his wife were found dead in bed

The 'perfect couple' are suspected of dying after eating 'poisoned pickles', local media reports

She was looking after her younger brother at the flat in Russia's Leningrad Oblast.

Mrs Yakunin's sister Natalia Bakulina, 36, rushed to their home to find the couple dead in bed after her niece opened the door.  

'I ran in and saw everything. I fell down and screamed,' she said.  

Miss Bakulina called the police and emergency services, then dressed the children and took them out of the flat in Bolshoye Kuzyomkino village, in Kingisepp district.

News outlet 78.ru said that food poisoning is suspected as the cause of the deaths. 

Neighbour Mikhail Khomchenko said of the couple: 'I have only positive feelings about them'

Gas plant worker Mr Yakunin had been given a jar of homemade pickles by his grandmother the day before. The jar was open in the kitchen, it was reported.

It is suspected that botulinum toxin from the pickles is the cause of death. The toxin causes paralysis and even death through respiratory failure. 

Neighbour Mikhail Khomchenko ruled out alcohol poisoning, saying the couple did not drink. 'I have only positive feelings about them,' he said. 

Mrs Yakunin's mother Galina Yasturbenko, 61, and her husband Viktor, 66, said they had been unable to reach the couple and were worried.

The tragic children are being cared for by Mr Yakunin's father.