A toddler died after choking on a piece of banana just before bedtime, an inquest heard.
Dylan John James Greig, two, died at his home in St Asaph, Wales in July after his mum Danielle Butterley gave him a piece of banana instead of his usual bedtime bottle.
When the 30-year-old returned to the room after leaving for “no more than 30 seconds” she found her son lying on his back, NorthWalesLive reports.
John Gittins, senior coroner for North Wales east and central, heard at Ruthin County Hall today that Danielle battled to save her son’s life as the family called 999 for help.
Her brother-in-law PC Brian Williams was on duty and raced to the 999 call without realising it was his own nephew, the inquest heard.
Danielle told the inquest she had given him the piece of banana just before bedtime instead of his bottle.
She said she patted his back and “was trying anything” to revive him.
She said in a statement: “I quickly realised something was wrong. He was flapping his arms around and I could see he was choking.
“I was trying anything. I can’t describe the sound that came from him.”
Danielle called 999 and was given advice by ambulance control on how to help Dylan.
She said she found a piece of banana in her son’s throat “completely stuck fast and wasn’t moving.”
Police officers were called with paramedics, but it was only when PC Williams arrived at the house that he realised the child was his nephew.
PC Williams, whose wife is Danielle’s sister, said he was “incredibly shocked” on entering the house to find his sister-in-law “carrying out chest compressions on my two-year-old nephew.”
He led Danielle from the room while paramedics tried to resuscitate Dylan who was taken to Ysbyty Glan Clwyd but died later that evening.
He added: “I will never be able to forget that night.”
Having read Danielle’s statement, the senior coroner told her: “I can’t imagine for one second how difficult that must have been for you.”
He recorded a conclusion of accidental death caused by hypoxic cardiac arrest due to choking on a banana.
He said the banana had been given to Dylan in an “entirely appropriate and normal way.”
He said: “This was a tragic set of events that ultimately led to the loss of this two-year-old.”