Kennedy Mitchell: 10-month-old girl who nearly died by swallowing water beads returns home after 5 surgeries
BERWICK, MAINE: A ten-month-old has successfully survived her near-death experience after she swallowed a children's water bead. Kennedy Mitchell from Maine underwent five critical surgeries in a month and was given a 50 percent chance of survival. The toddler accidentally ingested the water beads which blocked her bowel and was reported fatal as it cut off the blood supply to part of her intestines.
Folichia Mitchell, her mother, bought the toy for her eight-year-old son Joshua, who is on the autism spectrum, from Target on October 24, reported Daily Mail. The water beads can be used as educational tools and a form of entertainment for young children and children living with autism or increased anxiety. Days later, Kennedy reportedly became very lethargic and started to throw up. The mother initially thought it could be a food allergy and took her to the hospital on November 1, where tests revealed the toddler had water beads in her stomach.
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Water beads, also known as sensory beads, are water-absorbing beads made from super-absorbent plastic, often marketed as toys or learning aids by the toy company Chuckles & Roar. They can expand up to 200 times their original size when in water and only shrink back down to size when left to dry, reported the source. They come in various colors and shapes like spheres, jewels, and dinosaurs. The doctors performed the first surgery on Kennedy to extract the water bead, but her intestines were already damaged and the toddler went into septic shock after which she was put on a ventilator.
Later a second operation was performed for any more obstructions, but none were found. Followed by two more surgeries to remove the extra fluid in her intestines and take pressure off her organs. After the incident, Target, which exclusively sold the water beads, pulled the product off its shelves and an inquiry with the product maker is ongoing. Swallowing the water beads can lead them to absorb fluid and expand in the intestinal tract causing a life-threatening blockage, said National Poison Control Center. A Change.org petition to ban the water beads has received over 40,650 signatures, reported a source.
"I'm grateful Kennedy can go home," The mother of two said in a tearful video posted on TikTok. The retailer speaking on the situation said, "We’re aware of this tragic situation and send our heartfelt sympathy to this child and her family. Target requires our vendors to comply with all product safety standards, and all state, federal and local laws," reported the source. It added, "We have removed the product from stores and Target.com while we review the situation with the vendor." Now Mitchell is trying to raise awareness of the dangers of the water beads. Mitchel told Insider, "The label says they should be used only by kids over three. But the makers have got to add a warning that water beads could cause a blockage in the digestive system that could lead to death."