Tragedy of boy, 5, who died after climbing into his dinosaur balloon
Helium can take a life in seconds, warns mother who’s lost ‘my little best friend’
A FIVE-YEAR-OLD boy died after trying to climb into a dinosaur balloon he had been bought as a treat from a funfair.
Karlton Noah Donaghey spent six days in intensive care before his ventilator was switched off on June 29.
His distraught mother Lisa, 43, is now warning of the dangers of helium after the accident, when she found her son on the floor of their home with the balloon over his head and neck.
The boy was given CPR at the scene before being airlifted to the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle upon Tyne for emergency treatment, but he died at the Great North Children’s Hospital days later.
Mrs Donaghey, who is also mother to Kaitlin, 25, Joe, 20, and Will, 15, said the family had been enjoying the warm weather in the garden when the accident happened on June 23.
She said she had gone to check on Karlton after he went inside to use the toilet. She said: ‘When I came in he was on the floor with the balloon over his head and his neck. It was a dinosaur balloon which was the same size as him.
‘I think he’s put himself in the balloon to be a dinosaur to go outside and surprise his nieces. I pulled the balloon off him and I screamed. I think I carried him to the patio door.’
She added: ‘As a mother, I knew he was gone, he was unresponsive. He had his eyes wide open and he was pale.’
Karlton had been bought the large balloon as a treat during a trip to The Hoppings funfair in Newcastle upon Tyne with his mother and father Karl on June 17. It was his first time at the funfair, his parents said. Mrs Donaghey, from Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, said: ‘He had been really well behaved and he hadn’t asked for anything. He was never ungrateful. He was really well mannered so he got a treat.’
She added: ‘He loved dinosaurs – “dinosaur roar” was probably one of his first words. He had lots of dinosaur and dragon books and lots of dinosaur toys.’
On the day of the accident, Kaitlin, Karlton’s sister, and her daughters had come to visit.
Kaitlin and a neighbour carried out CPR on Karlton until paramedics arrived.
Mrs Donaghey said: ‘I just collapsed outside on the grass. I must have screamed and screamed and screamed. I couldn’t bear to come back in. I was numb with fear and terror.’
Karlton was airlifted to hospital, where Mrs Donaghey stayed by Karlton’s side for six days. She said he began to suffer seizures and doctors said there was nothing more they could do. She said: ‘He was trying to fight on but I knew he was fighting with a little ounce of energy... I told him: “Stop being brave, go to sleep. I can cope without you and I can do you proud”.’
Paying tribute to her son, she said: ‘Karlton had a caring nature and he always thought of others. He was polite and he was mischievous, he was a total character.
‘He had just lost his two bottom teeth and he had just learned how to ride his bike without stabilisers. I would sit for three-and-ahalf hours watching him so he was safe. He was my little best friend and my little sidekick, we did everything together from morning until night.’
The cause of Karlton’s death has not been confirmed by a coroner but is believed to be the intake of helium. Mrs Donaghey is now warning others about the dangers of helium, saying: ‘It’s a toxic that can take a life in seconds. It’s very dangerous. It’s taken my son’s life, he was just wanting to playfully be a dinosaur. It can take a child’s life and it can take an adult’s life.
‘I want parents, grandparents, childminders, adults, students, anyone that has come into contact with helium to be cautious about the ways they use it and dispose of it.
‘A precious five-year-old has been taken too soon and I would never ever put this pain on anybody.’
‘It was the same size as him’