Mom Warns Others Not To Make The Same Mistake After Toddler Tragically Chokes On Grapes In Grocery Store

Dec 17, 2019 by apost team

Even if you don't have children of your own, you've surely heard of how dangerous choking hazards are for children. In many cases, small toys or parts of games come to mind when this warning is mentioned. However, in one tragic case, a couple of stolen grapes turned out to be fatal for a young boy.

Ayyan Umar was a 2-year-old from Detroit, who had been visiting a grocery store in 2017 with his mother, Emma Carver. He'd been sitting in her shopping cart while she was deciding which type of cheese to bring home. However, unbeknownst to her, he'd snatched some grapes and was eating them. Two got caught in his throat.

Emma was terrified when she was shaken from her perusal of the cheese section by the sound of Ayyan choking. She spun around and desperately tried to help him. She told WXYZ Detroit that one of the first things that she did was pat him on the back, which is commonly assumed to help in this situation. However, many don't know that doing this can cause what has become stuck to dislodge and move even further down the airway, reports Better Health.

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The situation wasn't helped by the fact that nearby shoppers who desperately wanted to help, like Emma, did not know how to use the Heimlich maneuver. However, one did know how to use CPR and focused intently on doing that while another called 911. Emergency responders rushed over, arriving approximately six minutes later, and removed one grape. However, it was not enough to save the boy.

Ayyan was rushed to hospital, and it was there where the second grape was removed, but sadly he passed away. His tearful mother described the scene in her interview with WXYZ Detroit: "His lips turned blue. His fingers turned blue." Mohammad Umar, his father, later told WXYZ Detroit that what happened has felt like "a bad dream" and that he sees Ayyan everywhere.

As a result of this tragedy, Emma wants to ensure that other parents do not needlessly suffer this indescribable pain. The first thing to do is to be diligent about what the young child eats. Foods that especially need to be avoided are grapes, nuts, popcorn, and hot dogs. In fact, according to JumbleJoy, grapes should not be fed to children until they turn four.

Also, of course, learning the Heimlich maneuver and CPR can help in all types of choking-related situations, including those involving adults.

Did you know that two grapes could cause this type of tragedy involving a 2-year-old?