Rome toddler, 18 months, dies after choking on a piece of apple

What happened

An 18-month-old boy died on Wednesday 28 October after a piece of apple blocked his airways while he was eating dinner with his parents at home in La Storta, on the northern outskirts of Rome. Family members called the single emergency number 112 immediately, and an ambulance took the child urgently to the Agostino Gemelli polyclinic. Medics on board tried to help during the journey, and hospital staff attempted to resuscitate him, but he died before reaching the hospital and the efforts failed.

Investigation and reaction

The carabinieri are investigating the incident and have reconstructed how it happened, according to the reports. Local outlets describe the death as a tragic accident. The father comes from Vitorchiano in the Viterbo province, where the child's grandparents live and where the family is well known. The community there has rallied around the parents. Mayor Ruggero Grassotti expressed the city's closeness to the family and spoke of a deep pain that has struck the whole community.

Funeral and dates

According to Il Messaggero, the funeral is set for Monday 2 November at 15:00 at the parish of Santi Pietro e Paolo in Rome. Most reports give Wednesday 28 October as the date of the death, while one report gives 29 October.