STORM2K

VALLEY STREAM, New York (AP) -- A 3-year-old boy choked to death while eating popcorn at a movie theater.

Deontea Riley, of New York City, was at the Sunrise Multiplex Cinemas in Long Island's Valley Stream watching "Alien vs. Predator" with his parents and older brother when he began to choke shortly before 7 p.m. Sunday, Nassau County police said.

The family all had been eating from a small tub of popcorn when Elaine McIntosh, the boy's mother, saw that her youngest son was choking.

His parents rushed him out of the theater where they performed the Heimlich maneuver without success.

"I was trying everything," his father, Eddie Riley, told the Daily News in Tuesday's editions. "I was trying to put my finger down his throat. I didn't feel anything."

Police arrived shortly afterward and tried to clear the boy's mouth and perform CPR, but he was pronounced dead at Mercy Medical Center in Rockville Centre.

His body was taken to the Nassau University Medical Center morgue pending a medical examiner's report.



OMG, this is terrible. I never gave my 3 yrs olds popcorn, peanuts or hard candy though I know many parents do!

Bonnie - same here. I didn't give my kids foods like popcorn at age 3! As I've mentioned before, I used to work for ENT docs. And they would tell us what foods young children shouldn't eat - anything cut into circles (hot dog, bananas, etc.), chop the food up instead, whole grapes (cut them into halves), large marshmallows, nuts, popcorn, suckers, butterscotch type candies, etc. One of the doctors lost a young patient who had a large marshmallow stuck in his throat. They performed an emergency trach but it was too late. He had suffocated to death. That was the most tragic story. I can clearly remember this doctor saying to all of us - never give a young child a whole, large marshmallow (their natural instinct is to swallow it whole, not chewed up). That advice stuck with me. To this day if I see a young child take a bite out of whole hotdog also, I cringe. It's so easy for foods like this to become lodge in a child's throat.

This family must be devastated. You can picture the young boy wanting to share the popcorn. And I can imagine the parents thinking oh it's okay....

Mary

I know Mary, I can't imagine the pain these parents must be going through right now. And you are so right about hot dogs, they are very dangerous for small children.

This is very sad!!

This is soooo sad.

bfez1 wrote:I know Mary, I can't imagine the pain these parents must be going through right now. And you are so right about hot dogs, they are very dangerous for small children.

Almost any solid food is dangerous to little kids.

Stooge - 3 year olds can have most foods adults and older kids can have. I say most. Popcorn is iffy. For example, a hotdog is okay, just cut up, not into slices though. Marshmallows are okay, just not the large, roasting type. Mini-marshmallows, one at a time would be okay. You need to teach kids to chew their food well, not wolf it down. I continued cutting up my kids food long after it was necessary! And I would hear it too! Why can't I eat this slice of pizza mom, why do I have to have it cut up (asks the 7 year old)? LOL You just need to give them bite size foods, not a lot either, smaller portions and teach them to chew well.

Just thought I'd clear that up for when you have kids someday.

And no I'm not still cutting up my kids food (they're 14 and 17 now)!

Mary

it is sad, and a young child should not be eating popcorn. who wants to bet a edwards type lawyer sues for millions and the next thing you know, no pop corn at movies.

rainstorm wrote:it is sad, and a young child should not be eating popcorn. who wants to bet a edwards type lawyer sues for millions and the next thing you know, no pop corn at movies.

OMG!! I must be brilliant, cause I TOTALLY saw this post coming.

nah, you just stayed at a holiday inn last night

Must every post turn out to have some political comment in it?

its not political to point out that trial lawyers will get hold of this to line their pockets with gold

rainstorm wrote:it is sad, and a young child should not be eating popcorn. who wants to bet a edwards type lawyer sues for millions and the next thing you know, no pop corn at movies.

what a bucch of friggin idiots these parents are. Mind boggling brain deadly stupid....

First thing wrong is there JUDGEMENT. 3 year olds should never ever seen movies like SPIDERMAN and ALIEN vs PREDATOR....


Most 3 year olds always over stuff thier face and have to be reminded on a daily if not hourly basis to chew...."jimmy please stop stuff your face.... you wont be alble to che and swallow if you put any more mash potatoes in your mouth..."

These moron parents ignorance and lack of focus VALUES and discipline killed their 3 year old...

bfez1 wrote:VALLEY STREAM, New York (AP) -- A 3-year-old boy choked to death while eating popcorn at a movie theater.

Deontea Riley, of New York City, was at the Sunrise Multiplex Cinemas in Long Island's Valley Stream watching "Alien vs. Predator" with his parents and older brother when he began to choke shortly before 7 p.m. Sunday, Nassau County police said.

The family all had been eating from a small tub of popcorn when Elaine McIntosh, the boy's mother, saw that her youngest son was choking.

His parents rushed him out of the theater where they performed the Heimlich maneuver without success.

"I was trying everything," his father, Eddie Riley, told the Daily News in Tuesday's editions. "I was trying to put my finger down his throat. I didn't feel anything."

Police arrived shortly afterward and tried to clear the boy's mouth and perform CPR, but he was pronounced dead at Mercy Medical Center in Rockville Centre.

His body was taken to the Nassau University Medical Center morgue pending a medical examiner's report.



OMG, this is terrible. I never gave my 3 yrs olds popcorn, peanuts or hard candy though I know many parents do!

what a scumbag you are

rainstorm wrote:nah, you just stayed at a holiday inn last night

DT wrote: ."jimmy please stop stuff your face.... you wont be alble to che and swallow if you put any more mash potatoes in your mouth..."

Now this I'd like to see -- a kid who can STUFF mashed potatoes into his mouth?

QUACK!!! i liked your other duck picture better. QUACK!!!!

My prayers and thoughts are w/ the family of this young boy.

Eric

rainstorm wrote:it is sad, and a young child should not be eating popcorn. who wants to bet a edwards type lawyer sues for millions and the next thing you know, no pop corn at movies.

I do not think a poltical comment is appropiate in this thread. Helen I know you dont have kids(neither do I) but how anyone can make a comment like that is mind boggling. Enuff said.