October 16, 2023
Tennessee Mother Gives Warning After 7-Year-Old Daughter Dies After Popping Balloons
After celebrating her 7-year-old daughter’s birthday on Sept. 24, a Tennessee mother is grieving after the young girl’s body was discovered in the living room.
Alexandra Kelly died while deflating helium balloons from her birthday party. Now, her mother is warning others “about the dangers of not only latex balloons but also Mylar balloons.”
According to a Facebook entry, the child’s mother, Channa Kelly, explained that Alexandra deflated the latex balloons, filled with helium, a week after her birthday party. After that, Kelly went to bed, leaving her daughter with the Mylar balloons. Alexandra then asked if she could “pop her large 7 balloon.” Kelly agreed.
After briefly falling asleep, Kelly returned to the living room to find her daughter face down and unconscious. “I thought for a second that she fell asleep but then noticed the Mylar balloon was around her head,” Kelly wrote.
She he removed the balloon, called 911, and started CPR right away. When police arrived, they, along with firefighters and paramedics, tried and failed to revive her daughter. Kelly said she doesn’t know the cause of death because she was told that results from tests could take four to six months.
According to the St. Louis Children’s Hospital website, “Latex balloons are not recommended for children younger than 8 years old. If a balloon breaks, collect the pieces immediately and dispose of them out of the reach of children. Shiny foil balloons, commonly known as Mylar balloons, can be a safer choice, but adult supervision is recommended with any type of balloon.”
According to WVLT, the incident that took place in Clinton is being investigated by police.