Girl, 8, orphaned. Her whole family died after improper handling of potatoes

This little girl survived a nightmare situation that claimed the lives of her entire family.

Potatoes are probably one of the most common food items found in homes across the globe, as they are easy to cook and can be served in numerous different and delicious ways.

But as reported by Shared, they can also be deadly.

Maria Chelysheva was just 8 years old in 2014 when she lost her entire family because of rotting potatoes in their home.

The family had kept their potatoes in the cellar, and one night her father went to collect some to make dinner. When he didn't return, he mother followed. Next, her brother went to check on their parents.

When he didn't return, Chelysheva's grandmother decided to call for help from the neighbors. But before the help arrived, she too went down into the cellar.

The potatoes in the cellar had gone bad, and had been rotting in the closed cellar since. When potatoes go off, the poisonous chemical called glycoalkaloid which is found in potatoes becomes more potent.

This is not only dangerous to eat, but even just to inhale these toxic gases.

Chelysheva herself also went to inspect what had happened to her family, but her grandmother before her had left the door open, allowing the poison to dissipate.

It is important to make sure that all the food kept in the house is still fresh. Anything that has started to rot should immediately be thrown into the trash, so that no one accidentally eats it.