Hailey Two Year Old Dies after Choking on Balloon

HAILEY, Idaho ( KMVT / KSVT ) - In a matter of minutes, a two year old boy lost his life... to a balloon. According to Lieutenant Steve England from the Hailey Police Department, first responders from several agencies were called to a Hailey home just before 3:30 Tuesday afternoon, for a two year old who wasn't breathing.

England said it appeared the boy was choking on a banana, which he was eating at the time. They later discovered the balloon. Rich Bauer, a Captain and Paramedic for Wood River Fire and Rescue says that according to Nationwide Children's Hospital, latex balloons are a leading cause of choking deaths for children 8 years old and younger.

According to family members, the boy's parents are facing funeral costs they cannot afford. The Wood River Chapel is accepting donations on behalf of the family. The Gold Mine in Ketchum, where the mother works, has also set up a donation jar.