Child’s Choking Death Spurs Warning on Candy

Fire officials warned the public Friday to use caution with holiday hard candy following the choking death this week of a 2-year-old Anaheim boy.

Alberto Villa died Thursday evening when a piece of hard candy lodged in his throat, Anaheim Fire Department spokeswoman Tabby Cato said. Paramedics managed to extract the candy and start life support, but the boy died shortly after arriving at Western Medical Center-Anaheim.

More than half a dozen adults were at the apartment in the 1500 block of South Jeffrey Drive when the boy was found on the floor unconscious, Cato said.

“We want people to know they should be careful with candy that children cannot easily chew,” Cato said. “This is a tragic case. It really shows that you have to be very careful with children and what they eat.”

Fire officials advise parents to keep all small objects and hard-to-chew foods away from toddlers. Parents should also learn life-saving techniques and may call their local fire department for information on training.

Some of the fire and police personnel who handled the case will meet today with counselors, Cato said. “Our people are pretty shook up. It’s hard not to take something like that home.”