A girl who had just turned 7 died last week after playing unsupervised with residue from an aluminum birthday balloon, her grieving mother warned on social media.
“I was crying hysterically and in complete shock and disbelief at what had just happened, that my daughter, my only child, was actually missing. “On October 1st, my whole world collapsed because I was unaware of the risks associated with this type of balloon,” Tennessee American Channa Kelly complained on Facebook on Monday.
For her daughter Alexandra Hope Kelly’s birthday party on September 24, the mother purchased a large “7”-shaped aluminum balloon and a dozen latex balloons, the New York Post reported Monday.
Aware of the choking hazard of latex balloons, the woman sat down with her daughter the following week to supervise her as the balloons popped. But when it came time to get to the aluminum model, the mother left the room to take a nap, unaware of the dangers.
“I never imagined she would stick her head in the balloon. […] When I woke up, I found my daughter face down on the floor. I thought for a second she had fallen asleep, then I noticed the ball [en aluminium] around his head,” the mother continued inconsolably.
The mother immediately called the emergency services and began first aid to revive the little girl – in vain.
An investigation is reportedly underway to determine the exact cause of death between helium poisoning and asphyxia, the release said.
By sharing her story, the mother wants to “raise awareness and educate parents about the dangers associated with all types of balloons.”
“I hope and pray that this will prevent and save the lives of other children. “I don’t want anyone else to experience the pain and devastation that comes with losing a child,” she wrote on Facebook.
According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, balloons are the leading cause of choking deaths among children among all products, the NY Post reported.