11-Month-Old Baby Dies After Balloon Piece Gets Stuck in Throat in US

An 11-month-old baby has died after a piece of a balloon became lodged in the child’s throat in the US state of Wisconsin. The baby died on October 24, just two days before the first birthday.

The child’s mother, Kisha Avita-Wilson, told NBC Chicago that animal-shaped balloons had been placed at a Halloween event. The family had been trying to keep the baby away from the balloons. However, when a tied-off piece of one balloon came loose, the child picked it up and began chewing on it. The piece became lodged in the lower part of the child’s throat.

The mother said she quickly took the baby out of the car seat and tried to perform CPR. She also attempted to remove the balloon piece from the child’s throat. Another person present also tried to help. However, the baby soon turned blue and went into cardiac arrest. Emergency responders later tried to save the child but were unsuccessful.

The family said the mother and other relatives are devastated by the loss. The emotional trauma of the incident reportedly caused the mother to experience premature labor, and she was admitted to hospital. She was 30 weeks pregnant at the time.

Following the tragedy, the mother urged other parents to be cautious, advising them to keep balloons and broken balloon pieces out of reach of young children.

Although balloons are commonly used at birthday parties and other celebrations, experts warn that latex balloons and small pieces of broken balloons can pose a serious choking hazard to young children.