Boy, 6, dies after inhaling helium from balloon just days after birthday
WARNING: DISTRESSING CONTENT Following Gunner's death last month a coroner has warned the public about the 'unrecognized' dangers of the large, child-sized balloons
A six-year-old boy has tragically died eight just days after his birthday after inhaling helium from a Mylar balloon, family and officials have said.
The horrific incident happened on May 29 when Gunner Hyatt likely suffocated to death when he breathed in the inert gas at his home in Mt. Carmel, Illinois. Officers from Wabash County Coroner's Office rushed to the scene but sadly Gunner was unable to be saved.
Following Gunner's death a coroner has warned the public about the 'unrecognized' dangers of the large, child-sized balloons.
On Wednesday June 4 Wabash County Coroner Office shared a statement following Gunner's tragic death, it read: "Shaun Keepes responded to a residence in Mount Carmel on Thursday, May 29, 2025, regarding the tragic accidental death of a juvenile.
"An autopsy was conducted in Springfield, Illinois, on Friday, May 30, 2025. Preliminary findings indicate that the cause of death is consistent with suffocation due to a Mylar-helium filled balloon. Additional testing and toxicology, are pending to determine the final cause of death.
"Coroner Keepes wishes to raise public awareness about the unrecognized potential dangers associated with large child size Mylar balloons. While often seen as harmless decorations, these balloons can pose serious risks—particularly to young children—including the rare but devastating possibility of suffocation and/or helium toxicity.
"The Wabash County Coroner's Office extends its deepest condolences to the family and loved ones affected by this heartbreaking accident. As a community, please hold this family in your prayers. Agencies involved in the ongoing investigation include the Mount Carmel Police Department and the Illinois State Police Child Death Task Force.No other information will be released at this time."
Gunner, who had just completed Kindergarten at Mount Carmel Elementary School, was remembered as a cheerful and adventurous child whose 'laughter brightened every room. He was the happiest outdoors-whether he was playing baseball, fishing by the water or exploring the woods hunting.
'He had a huge love for monster trucks and never missed a chance to go mud riding with his family. Gunner lived life with a fearless spirit, a playful heart, and a smile that will never be forgotten," according to his obituary.
The boy, whose birthday was on May 21, was the youngest of three children. The youngster's grief-stricken aunt, Bethany Hyatt, described him as 'an absolute joy and such a thrilling child to be around.'
Hyatt shared a tribute on Facebook on May 30: 'There's not a person that knew him that would say he wasn't an incredible child. There are no words to express how deeply we are feeling his absence. He will forever be in our thoughts and we will never truly recover from this. He touched so many lives in his short time here with us.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mirror
4 days ago
- Daily Mirror
Boy, 6, dies after inhaling helium from balloon just days after birthday
WARNING: DISTRESSING CONTENT Following Gunner's death last month a coroner has warned the public about the 'unrecognized' dangers of the large, child-sized balloons A six-year-old boy has tragically died eight just days after his birthday after inhaling helium from a Mylar balloon, family and officials have said. The horrific incident happened on May 29 when Gunner Hyatt likely suffocated to death when he breathed in the inert gas at his home in Mt. Carmel, Illinois. Officers from Wabash County Coroner's Office rushed to the scene but sadly Gunner was unable to be saved. Following Gunner's death a coroner has warned the public about the 'unrecognized' dangers of the large, child-sized balloons. On Wednesday June 4 Wabash County Coroner Office shared a statement following Gunner's tragic death, it read: "Shaun Keepes responded to a residence in Mount Carmel on Thursday, May 29, 2025, regarding the tragic accidental death of a juvenile. "An autopsy was conducted in Springfield, Illinois, on Friday, May 30, 2025. Preliminary findings indicate that the cause of death is consistent with suffocation due to a Mylar-helium filled balloon. Additional testing and toxicology, are pending to determine the final cause of death. "Coroner Keepes wishes to raise public awareness about the unrecognized potential dangers associated with large child size Mylar balloons. While often seen as harmless decorations, these balloons can pose serious risks—particularly to young children—including the rare but devastating possibility of suffocation and/or helium toxicity. "The Wabash County Coroner's Office extends its deepest condolences to the family and loved ones affected by this heartbreaking accident. As a community, please hold this family in your prayers. Agencies involved in the ongoing investigation include the Mount Carmel Police Department and the Illinois State Police Child Death Task other information will be released at this time." Gunner, who had just completed Kindergarten at Mount Carmel Elementary School, was remembered as a cheerful and adventurous child whose 'laughter brightened every room. He was the happiest outdoors-whether he was playing baseball, fishing by the water or exploring the woods hunting. 'He had a huge love for monster trucks and never missed a chance to go mud riding with his family. Gunner lived life with a fearless spirit, a playful heart, and a smile that will never be forgotten," according to his obituary. The boy, whose birthday was on May 21, was the youngest of three children. The youngster's grief-stricken aunt, Bethany Hyatt, described him as 'an absolute joy and such a thrilling child to be around.' Hyatt shared a tribute on Facebook on May 30: 'There's not a person that knew him that would say he wasn't an incredible child. There are no words to express how deeply we are feeling his absence. He will forever be in our thoughts and we will never truly recover from this. He touched so many lives in his short time here with us.'
Scottish Sun
09-05-2025
- Scottish Sun
Jens Lehmann's wife of 25 years reveals they are DIVORCED after he attacked neighbour's house with chainsaw
Lehmann was caught up in controversy last October Lehmann's terms Jens Lehmann's wife of 25 years reveals they are DIVORCED after he attacked neighbour's house with chainsaw Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) JENS LEHMANN'S wife of 25 years, Conny, has confirmed the couple have divorced. Lehmann, 55, has long lived separated from his former partner, with Conny, 52, moving out of their villa in Starnberg before they called it quits. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 3 Jens Lehmann's ex-wife Conny has confirmed they have divorced, ending a 25-year marriage Credit: Getty 3 It comes after the ex-Arsenal goalkeeper was caught up in a string of controversies Credit: Getty 3 One of them saw Lehmann accused of failing a breathalyser after being pulled over by cops following Oktoberfest celebrations Credit: Getty Speaking to Bild, Conny was reluctant to go into detail about her split with Lehmann, but said: "I'm single. I'm a happy single." The pair had met in 1995 before officially getting together in 1999 and marrying in October of that year. Conny has two children with Lehmann, 24-year-old Mats and 18-year-old Lieselotta. Lehmann also adopted Conny's child from a previous relationship with ex-Borussia Dortmund and Germany midfielder, Knut Reinhardt. READ MORE IN FOOTBALL Hatts off Luton release five players including Chelsea title winner and club legend They have had an on-and-off relationship for some time now, although they went on a family holiday last year which was said to be more for the children than any sort of romantic getaway. Conny had found a new partner while Lehmann remained in their family home before it was put up for sale. Lehmann was caught up in controversy last year when he was fined £112,000 by a Munich court for a chainsaw attack on a neighbour's garage in September. He had been accused of using a chainsaw to hack through the roof beams on his neighbour's garage by Lake Starnberg, which is in the Bavaria region of Germany. Join SUN CLUB for the Arsenal Files every Friday plus in-depth coverage and exclusives from The Emirates The alleged incident was said to have taken place during the summer of 2022. He was initially found guilty in December 2023, being slapped with a 10-month suspended prison sentence and ordered to pay a fine worth more than £350,000. These WILD Liverpool stats spell Arsenal disaster | Experts' best bets The former Gunner subsequently launched an appeal, as did Munich prosecutors. According to local reports in Germany, a deal was reached between prosecutors and Lehmann's lawyers prior to the trial's resumption. Lehmann's legal representative Florian Ufer gave an update - with his client having also been on trial for alleged unpaid parking fees. He said: "Mr Lehmann accepts responsibility. He has come to an agreement with his neighbour. The parking fees have been paid." Lehmann's initial £350,000 fine was reduced to around £112,000. He is also claimed to have paid his neighbour around £50,000 in order to close the matter, which then saw criminal charges against him dropped. Then, during Oktoberfest celebrations, it is claimed the former Germany No.1 vomited twice and failed a breathalyser after being pulled over by police. Lehmann is alleged to have been drink driving at the time of the stop, which happened at 1:30am. Police could reportedly smell alcohol from his breath through the open window of the car. Reports in Germany claimed he got out of the car and vomited twice by the roadside before he struggled to produce his driver's license and failed with his first few attempts to do so. He was unable to show his warning triangle and first-aid kit, and had to hold onto the car to stay upright when opening his boot. Breath tests had to be abandoned because the 61-Cap Germany star was 'no longer able to blow' so he was instead taken to a police station for further tests. Lehmann later went to the Munich Institute of Forensic Medicine for blood tests. The German was ordered to appear in court with the prosecutor's office requesting a fine of £60,000 with a trial set for Thursday April 3. His driver's license was also confiscated. He was hit with a €1,000 (£846) fine for driving under the influence of alcohol. The judge said Lehmann had displayed "bad behaviour" in court and to police when arrested in September last year. Lehmann said: "I misjudged myself and thought I could drive."
BBC News
24-12-2024
- BBC News
Christmas joy for Shropshire boy after stem cell transplant
A five year-old boy with a life-limiting metabolic disorder is celebrating Christmas, after a vital stem cell 2021, Gunner from Highley, Shropshire, was diagnosed with Mucopolysaccharidosis Type I Hurler Syndrome, which stops his body breaking down was given one-to-two years to live without a transplant, but received one in January using stem cells from an umbilical cord that was donated to the NHS 15 years six months of isolation, Gunner is now spending Christmas with his family, and even turned on his village's festive lights with his older sister, Daisy. "We had a really difficult first half of the year, when Gunner had to isolate after the stem cell transplant. "But we're now really beginning to see the difference it has made and are enjoying celebrating Christmas all together," said his mum, Holly."We're spending Christmas Day with my dad and sister and are excited to create memories together as a family." "We are so grateful to the mother who chose to donate her child's umbilical cord all of those years ago – without them, Gunner wouldn't have been able to have his stem cell transplant and things would look very different for us this Christmas."Holly also urged people to register as a stem cell donor, if they were able to."It really does make a huge difference to the people who need a stem cell transplant – and their families, too," she has had several treatments, including enzyme infusions, and a previous stem cell transplant, which second transplant is aimed at extending and giving him a better quality of life. Follow BBC Shropshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
