In a case similar to gruesome children's fairytale Hansel and Gretel, the Russian grandparents of a two-year-old boy allegedly strangled him and then cooked him in their oven.

The elderly Russian couple were arrested after the charred remains of their grandson were found in the snow.

The child's parents, Maria, 20, and Dmitry Shcherbakovy, 25, came home to pick up their son Dima, and found what remained of his body.

According to police, the grandparents had strangled little Dima to make him stop crying then "threw him into a scalding stove".

The grandparents, aged 48 and 52, were allegedly drunk at the time.

The incident, which unfolded in Kemerovo in southwestern Siberia, is now being investigated by the Russian Investigative Committee.

"They located the little boy's clothes in the house, but not him," investigators said in a statement.

"Next to the house, the parents found the body of their son in the snow, and called investigators and police.

"Forensic analysis will establish the exact reason for the little boy's death."

It is unclear whether it was Maria's or Dmitry's parents who allegedly committed the awful act.

The child's other set of grandparents posted to social media: "Our poor little boy, how could we not save you?", The Mirror reported.

It's not even the first incident of Russian grandparents throwing their grandkids into a stove.

Last year a 54-year-old grandfather was detained in Russia after he burned his grandson to death by placing him in a hot stove.

The grandfather also blamed his murderous streak on intoxication, and claimed he mistook his grandchild for Satan.

Originally published as Grandparents 'cook toddler in oven'