An eight-year-old boy has tragically died after inhaling helium from a balloon he received for his birthday.
Luke Ramone Harper died on April 2, 2021 at Temple Street Children’s Hospital in Dublin, Ireland from serious brain damage.
Her story made headlines last week as the coroner of record released her report.
The child’s mother, Hilary McSweeney, has opened up about her son’s final moments.
She explained that Luke, who has autism spectrum disorder and ADHD, spent time in his bedroom playing games and watching YouTube videos the day of the drama.
It was at supper time that she discovered the lifeless child on the ground with a balloon covering his face.
According to Ms McSweeney, the balloon had been in Luke’s room for about a week and had started to deflate.
She thinks the child may have poisoned himself with helium while trying to reinflate him, reports the Irish Mirror.
Quickly taken to the hospital, the little boy was placed in a coma due to significant brain damage.
“I knew Luke was dead and it was the machines that kept him alive,” the mother told a hearing with coroner Crona Gallagher.
“It really is a stupid accident.”
Luke’s father said his son, who had previously received such balloons for his birthday, was unaware that helium was sometimes inhaled to modify the voice.
The coroner concluded the accident and said she would not make a recommendation. She is however worried about the ignorance of the dangers of inhaling a gas like helium and the disastrous consequences that this can have.