NSW boy who choked on cocktail sausage will have his life support switched off

“Anyone that ever met Decky knows he was the most bubbly, happy, funny kid and he will always have a special place in so many of our hearts,” his family wrote. Warning: Contains images of deceased Indigenous persons 

Katie Hayward dropped her seven-year-old son, Decklan, off at Glenroi Heights Public School in NSW on 19 July as normal.

During the day, the school gave her a phone call informing her that he was involved in a “choking incident.” 

Rushing to the school, when she arrived, she discovered he had eaten a deli sausage during a ‘Crunch and Sip’, a primary school nutrition initiative, which had lodged in his throat.

RELATED: ‘Spencer was in the bath and started choking… I was terrified’

Decklan's life support will be switched off on 1 August. Source: GoFundMe

Oxygen supply to brain was cut off for 2 minutes

Despite best efforts from paramedics and school staff, the meat was stuck in his airway. 

The oxygen supply to his brain was cut off “for nearly 20 minutes”, sending him into cardiac arrest. 

The Wiradjuri boy was flown to Westmead Children’s Hospital in Sydney, where they confirmed he had extensive brain damage and put him on life support. 

On Friday last week, his family made the heartbreaking decision to take him off life support and let him “grow his wings and go with the angels.” 

The NSW family will switch off the machines on 1 August.

“Anyone that ever met Decky knows he was the most bubbly, happy, funny kid, and he will always have a special place in so many of our hearts,” the family shared on a GoFundMe page. 

RELATED: 'Choking in silence': Mum's warning on feeding watermelon to children

RELATED: My 2yo's daycare leaves small objects around to teach them a 'lesson'

In a Facebook post from the school, principal Tegan Davis explained the situation to parents. 

“Staff immediately provided aid upon noticing [Decklan] was distressed and moved other students away from the immediate area,” she wrote. 

She offered counselling services for the students and teachers. 

“Our thoughts are with Decklan's family at this time. Thank you to our school community for your continued care and support for Decklan and his family,” she wrote in a follow-up post.

Originally published as NSW boy who choked on cocktail sausage will have his life support switched off