Toddler Choked To Death After Dad Picked Blackberry For Him

The inquest heard how both parents tried to resuscitate their 15-month-old boy as he was choking to death. Thus, the court ruled the boy's death was accidental and no one should be blamed for it.

On Sept. 27 last year, Robert Ford was carrying his son Thomas in a baby carrier on his back. They were walking in Stalham near Norwich in Norfolk, along with his daughter Olivia, 5 years old.

The inquest heard Robert passed two blackberries to his son from a bush. After few seconds, he heard his son choking. The terrified dad then quickly put down his son and attempted to save him by doing Heimlich manoeuvre to dislodge the fruit.

While on the state of panic, he told his daughter to call his wife Serena, who was at home during the incident. Hence, Mrs Ford, who is a trained nurse arrived at the scene five minutes later and performed CPR.

The mother told the court that she carried out mouth-to-mouth but Thomas was not responding. Thirty minutes later, an ambulance arrived and transported Thomas via air to Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital. The boy was later transferred to Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge where he died on Sept. 30.

Doctors concluded that the cause of the boy's death was severe brain damage, which was caused by choking. Thus, Deputy Norfolk coroner David Osborne ruled that the death was accidental and absolved both parents.

"I am satisfied Thomas's parents did absolutely everything they could have done in response as Thomas started to choke," Osborne added during the hearing.

Mr Ford also warned other parents about the danger of choking and hoping that other parents will take extra care of giving food to their children. "I hope nothing like this happens to anyone else," he then added to BBC. "I loved him so very much... I miss my little man."