According to an inquest, a four-year-old boy named Ethan Wade died after his head got stuck in a new medical bed.
His father found him unresponsive on July 1, 2021.
The boy had been diagnosed with a type of cerebral palsy, and a special bed known as the Olaf was installed in the family’s home.
Ethan was a non-verbal child, and he had various mobility and reflux issues.
His parents noted that his bed had been left at its lowest level the night before, and he had been unresponsive since the morning.
It was initially believed that the boy suffered from respiratory arrest. His father, who had been able to pull him free, immediately called his mother, Jessica Gardiner.
An ambulance operator instructed her to administer CPR. Paramedics carried Ethan to the van, and they continued to perform CPR until a critical care worker arrived.
A heartbeat was detected, and Ethan was taken to the Medway Maritime Hospital. He was then transferred to King’s College Hospital.
His condition worsened, and he eventually died a few days later. According to Dr. Fitzpatrick-Swallow, the cause of death was due to hypoxia, as well as entrapment.
According to the coroner, the boy’s mouth and nose had been covered, which could have caused a degree of suffocation. Red stripes on his collarbone and neck were also caused by the pinched mattress.
Fitzpatrick-Swallow stated that there was no known natural or independent cause for respiratory arrest.