4-Year-Old Boy Dies After Swallowing Cinnamon Powder
On June 3, a 4-year-old boy died after he accidentally swallowed cinnamon powder. According to WFSB, Matthew was playing in the kitchen and discovered the bottle of ground cinnamon in their pantry. When he ingested the powder, things quickly took a horrific turn for the worse. During a news interview with LEX 18, Matthew’s mother, Briana Radar, briefly recounted the devastating incident that led to her son’s untimely death.
“He was completely healthy — no problems,” Brianna Radar said. “He started choking. It was like he was having a seizure and just collapsed.”
Matthew was immediately rushed to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead nearly an hour and a half later. Although Matthew’s death was not a direct result of the “Cinnamon Challenge,” his mother has a message for the teens and adults participating in the reemerging social media trend. She wants participants to be aware of the potentially fatal consequences a person can suffer by ingesting cinnamon.
“To let people know cinnamon can kill. All these kids to the cinnamon challenge. They don’t think about the fact it can hurt them.”
A previous Los Angeles Times report also touched on the dangers of the popular game. The report issued a warning to parents of adolescents, citing how cinnamon can be potentially deadly when used improperly.
“As cinnamon coats and dries the mouth and throat, coughing, gagging, vomiting and inhaling of cinnamon ensues, leading to throat irritation, breathing difficulties and risk of pneumonia”, explained Dr. Alvin C. Bronstein, medical and managing director of Rocky Mountain Poison and Drug Center. “For teens who suffer from asthma, the ‘cinnamon challenge’ can be particularly risky, because they can develop shortness of breath.”
Matthew’s official coroner’s report has not yet been released. But according to NBC New York, the coroner did state that asphyxiation can be caused just from inhaling and ingesting cinnamon powder.
Matthew’s mom has opted to donate his organs in hopes of saving other lives.
[Image via Shutterstock]
