Baby chokes to death after swallowing screw

BESUT, Malaysia - An 8-month-old boy died after choking on a screw while playing with his two elder siblings at his grandfather's house in Felda Selasih near Jertih on Saturday.

District police chief Superintendent Kamaruddin Mohd Zakaria said Muhammad Adam Nazmi Yusmadi fell unconscious after vomiting several times about 2.30pm.

One of Adam's siblings alerted their 58-year-old grandfather, Mat Deris Mat Din, who rushed the baby to Besut Hospital together with his wife and the boy's mother.

Kamaruddin said Adam was pronounced dead on arrival.

He said Mat Deris' police report stated that the baby's mother had been taking a bath at the time of the incident while he and his wife were not paying attention to the children as they were playing among themselves.

"The grandfather said the baby was left to play in the living room with his siblings, aged 5 and 3. He claimed they did not know that the baby had swallowed a screw."

Kamaruddin said the medical examination showed a 2cm-long screw was stuck in the baby's throat, adding that initial investigations revealed no foul play in the incident.