Tragedy as ‘funny and loving’ boy, two, dies after swallowing plastic ‘googly eye’ that doctors failed to spot on an X-ray because it wasn’t made of metal

A senior coroner has issued a warning after a toddler died 14 months after swallowing a plastic ‘googly eye’ that went undetected by an X-ray.

Kazarie Dwaah-Lyder underwent a scan after consuming the plastic imitation eyeball but it was not detected as it was not metal.

For just over a year, the toddler carried on ‘without symptoms’ until he was rushed to hospital in April last year where he sadly died.

Now, in light of the ‘beloved’ child’s ‘unforeseen’ death, Mary Hassell has written to senior doctors questioning the lack of national guidance on children who are suspected to have swallowed a non-metal object.

In her Prevention of Future Deaths report the senior coroner for Inner North London said Kazarie swallowed the googly eye – small plastic crafting items used to imitate eyeballs – in February 2022.

Soon after, the toddler was taken to the hospital as he was ‘suspected of having swallowed a plastic foreign object’ and the then one year old underwent an X-ray and a fluoroscopy – another form of X-ray scan – each with a negative result.

He was sent home and then displayed no symptoms until the following year.

In April 2023, the then two and a half year old was rushed to Great Ormond Street Hospital in London and died due to an ‘upper gastrointestinal bleed’ and an ‘oesophageal tear’ from swallowing a ‘foreign body’.

At Kazarie’s inquest Ms Hassell recorded a verdict of accidental death.

Writing to the British Association of Paediatric Surgeons, Royal College of Paediatrics and the Royal College of Radiologists, the Senior Coroner said she ‘told that there is a lack of national guidance’ for situations where objects go undetected and children are without symptoms.

Ms Hassell said she had heard evidence that children suspected of having swallowed a non radio opaque object such as a googly eye, and who are displaying symptoms, should undergo an endoscopy – where a camera on a tube is inserted into the patient.

She also highlighted the risks associated with CT scanning and the giving a general anaesthetic on children but said ‘the matter would benefit from consideration at a national level’.

She said: ‘In my opinion, action should be taken to prevent future deaths and I believe that you have the power to take such action.

‘You are under a duty to respond to this report within 56 days of the date of this report, namely by 8 April 2024. I, the coroner, may extend the period.

‘Your response must contain details of action taken or proposed to be taken, setting out the timetable for action. Otherwise, you must explain why no action is proposed.’

After Kazarie’s death, Bianca Lyder-Wallace organised a GoFundMe for the ‘beloved child’.

She wrote: ‘We are deeply saddened to inform you that our beloved child Kazarie Kwaku Dwaah-Lyder; aged 2, passed away on Thursday 27th April 2023 at 4:01am, at Great Ormond Street due to unforeseen circumstances and severe complications – a hole found in his oesophagus.

‘We are raising funds to support his family with the expenses needed to lay him to rest. Kazarie was an amazing, smart, funny and loving little boy who had an old soul, he touched the hearts of many, and we want to give him the farewell he deserves.

‘We understand that this is a difficult time for everyone, but we kindly ask for any amount that you can give, no matter how small, to help us honour his Mum and older Brother as well as extended family.’

The GoFundMe for Kazarie has raised some £4,852 since the page was first set up.