I walked into the living room and found my 7yo daughter face down and lifeless

“As a parent, I was always aware of the choking hazard of latex balloons, but never imagined that there was such a risk regarding these very large ones,” heartbroken Mum Channa says. 

A mother is warning other parents of the dangers of foil balloons after her seven-year-old daughter passed away in early October. 

Alexandra was a “loving and kindhearted” girl who lived to sing and make her family laugh. 

Celebrating her birthday on September 22, her mother bought her a large helium-filled foil balloon shaped as a number seven and 10 Roblox latex balloons. 

A week after her birthday party, the 7yo was sitting in the living room of their Tennessee home and asked her mum if she could pop the balloons. 

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Alexandra died after being left alone with a foil balloon. Source: Facebook

Mum’s “entire world collapsed” after finding 7yo with foil balloon

“Alex asked if she could pop her large seven balloon, and I said that was fine,” Mum Channa shared on Facebook.

“As a parent, I was always aware of the choking hazard of latex balloons, but never imagined that there was such a risk regarding these very large ones,” she said. 

Channa was supervising her daughter popping the latex balloons, then left the room and had a brief nap once they were all popped, leaving the foil balloon untouched.

When she returned, she found her daughter “face down on the living room floor where I had left her.”

The foil balloon was around her head, and immediately after removing it, Channa performed CPR. Paramedics shortly took over, but sadly she could not be revived. 

“On Sunday October 1st, my entire world collapsed around me all because I was unaware of the risk surrounding these types of balloons,” she said. 

“I cried hysterically and was in utter shock and disbelief of what had just occurred,” she said. “That my daughter and only child was actually gone.”

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Channa has issued a warning to other parents of the dangers of foil balloons. Source; Facebook

Balloons the “leading cause of fatal choking worldwide”

It is unknown whether Alexandra passed away from helium poisoning or suffocation. 

“We are currently awaiting the preliminary results for the final determination of her cause of death. I was told that this could take up to four to six months,” the Tennessee mum wrote. 

She is now warning other parents to be extra careful with balloons of all types. 

“I want people to know so they can be aware,” she said. “That’s what took my baby, it was her birthday balloon. It’s hard to comprehend.” 

According to former paramedic and owner of Tiny Hearts Education, Nikki Jurcutz, balloons are the “leading cause of fatal choking worldwide.” 

“They are really light, they are wet from the saliva inside,” she explained. 

“The issue with these non-food items are that they are very difficult to get out. Even with back blows or any type of pressure, it will be difficult to actually remove this from the airway and extract it.”

It is recommended to keep unused balloons out of reach of children and dispose of all broken balloons. 

Balloons should be kept out of reach of young children, and you should never tie a latex balloon to the side of a cot or pram.

Originally published as I walked into the living room and found my 7yo daughter face down and lifeless