Story By: Lee Bullen,Sub Editor: Joseph Golder,Agency: Asia Wire Report

Six children have been orphaned after their parents died days apart, with the dad collapsing as he watched funeral workers prepare the body of his wife for burial.

According to local media the mother of the six, identified only by her first name Siti, from the city of Balikpapan in the northern Indonesian province of East Kalimantan, died due to high blood pressure just a month after giving birth to her youngest daughter.

While coping with the loss of their mum, the children suffered more distress when their father suffered from hypertension when his wife’s dead body was being washed by funeral staff.

He was ordered hospitalised but died on his way there, according to reports.

Local media confirmed the father died of complications related to hypertension, although did not mention if this led to sudden cardiac death.

The six orphaned youngsters are now being cared for by their mum’s elderly parents, according to reports.

Siti’s mum said that the young mother died on 25th February shortly after being weighed at the health centre where she was told her weight appeared abnormal.

When her husband fell ill during the funeral preparations, relatives took him to a nearby hospital but he passed away en route, according to local media.

Neighbours are said to be helping the grieving children and their elderly parents during this difficult time.

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