Health
8-Year-Old Dies From A Birthday Accident; Mom Warns Others Of Hidden Dangers
An unthinkable tragedy occurred during an 8-year-old boy’s birthday celebration when a helium balloon unintentionally stopped his breathing, causing him to suffocate and die. His mother is now urging other families to select decorations that are safer.
Joshua Dunbar was just eight years old. Like other children, he couldn’t wait to celebrate his birthday with cake, balloons, and gifts. His house was adorned with vibrant decorations, one of which was a huge balloon inflated with helium in the shape of the number eight.
However, Joshua was discovered unconscious in his bedroom later that day, following the conclusion of the celebration. His face was hidden by the helium balloon in the shape of a number.
Paramedics tried to revive Joshua, but it was unsuccessful.
“It was absolutely traumatic,” his mother Carly said in an emotional interview with The Mirror. “You hear the screams, the shouts, the sirens. You hear the doctor’s words, saying they’re really sorry. It was time for him.”
She recalled her final moments with her son, saying, “We just held his hands… and I said, ‘If your angel wings are there and you’re ready to take them, then take them! Within minutes, he was gone.”
How helium turned deadly
According to the coroner’s confirmation during an inquest into Joshua’s death, the cause was “asphyxia involving a helium balloon.”
Although it can take the place of oxygen in the atmosphere, helium is not toxic. The body doesn’t get the oxygen it needs to survive when someone breaths in helium instead of air. In Joshua’s instance, his face was covered by the balloon, and his breathing rapidly stopped.
“This was a most tragic day, because it started as a celebration,” said Coroner Andre Rebello. He explained that Joshua might have been playing with the balloon or trying to make his voice sound funny by breathing in the helium, a common but risky practice.
“He was a little boy in his room playing, and tragically, it had fatal consequences,” Rebello said.
Mother’s mission to save lives
Carly shared her suffering—and her warning—on social media in the days after Joshua’s passing.
“Please trust me when I say do not buy your children helium balloons,” she wrote on Facebook. “Every day since, I’ve hated myself for buying that balloon that took our boy.”
Now, Carly is urging parents to only use air-filled balloons for parties. “They look just as nice,” she says, “and they won’t cost a child their life.”
She hopes her message can prevent even one more family from experiencing this kind of loss. “If one, two, three people stop and think and don’t buy a helium balloon-that’s one child’s death being prevented.”
Child’s death sparks urgent questions
Joshua’s passing is bringing attention to a hidden issue that many families might not be aware of: helium balloons, although entertaining and joyous, can be extremely dangerous, particularly for small children.
Although incidents involving balloons are uncommon, experts have long cautioned about the dangers of suffocation. Safety groups state that one of the biggest choking hazards for kids under the age of eight is balloons, particularly ones that are broken or uninflated. Another potential factor that parents might not be aware of is the possibility that helium will displace oxygen.
Joshua’s mother’s message is evident from his tragic story: even something as happy as a birthday balloon may turn lethal in the wrong circumstance.
Her request is straightforward yet impactful: use air-filled balloons.
As Carly puts it, “There is no cure for a broken heart. If sharing our story can save even one life, then my little boy’s death won’t have been for nothing.”
Therefore, the next time you’re organising a party, give careful thought to selecting decorations that are safe for all of the kids in the room in addition to being entertaining.
Following the loss of a bright young spirit, we offer our sorrow and prayers to Joshua’s family. I hope Joshua finds peace.
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