Dad's Warning After His Daughter Almost Choked to Death Needs to Reach All Parents
"As I sit here still shaking I'm posting this as a reminder to ALL parents of small children: please always read labels on the foods we feed them," writes Justin Morrice after saving his daughter, Annabelle, from choking to death. Morrice turned away from his daughter for 10 seconds as she snacked on Gerber Lil'Crunchies, and when he turned back he realized she was gasping for air.
She was trying to cry but no sound was coming out. I rushed over and picked her up and turned her over and slapped her back (as we were taught) for what seemed like forever. I still could not hear anything. I flipped her over and her lips had turned blue and she was still trying to cry. . . . It was at this moment I thought my little girl was going to die in my arms.
I panicked and did the only thing I could think of: I rammed my finger into her mouth and down her throat and was able to squish the cheesie enough that the next thing I heard was the sweetest sound in the world . . . her crying. I flipped her over again and slapped her back . . . it became dislodged and I was able to sweep it with my finger out of her mouth. It was the longest and scariest minute of my life.
Annabelle had eaten this snack days before, so Morrice was confused by the incident. Until his mom read the fine print.
"My mom found this 'warning' in tiny letters on the side to throw contents out after five days of breaking the seal," Morrice wrote. "I opened a new container and I could not believe the difference. The ones in the can she choked on I can only describe to be like a foam ear plug. . . . The ones in the new can crumbled with ease."
Morrice says he's not trying to degrade Gerber in any way but wants to remind parents to be diligent and always read all food labels.