In a bizzare incident, a two-year-old girl died after she accidentally took a bite of a chilli.
Doctors at a hospital in New Delhi had managed to revive her after she was admitted, however, she died within 24 hours due to respiratory failure, reports Times of India.
The autopsy conducted by AIIMS revealed that the death was caused by gastric fluids getting into the respiratory tract.
Doctors further added that that the vomit might have entered the windpipe of the girl and choked her.
Dr Chittaranjan Behera, the autopsy surgeon, speaking to The Times of India said,
“Aspiration of gastric contents resulting in death due to respiratory failure is not uncommon. However, this is the first such case involving the accidental bite of a chilli at our hospital. It is rarely reported in medical-legal literature.”
This incident was reported a few months ago and the uniqueness of it has resulted in this case being published in the Medico-Legal Journal.
Dr Sudhir Gupta, professor and head of forensic medicine department at AIIMS, speaking to TOI said, “Normally our body protects against such mishaps through the act of coughing. But in the child’s case, it is possible that the ‘laryngeal cough reflex’ was either poorly developed or inactive due to unconsciousness, leading to death.”
Death due to asphyxiation is usually witnessed among alcoholics. If an individual consumes excessive amount of alcohol, there is a possibility that the person may end up becoming unconscious. If the person vomits during this time, he may inhale his own vomit and choke to death.
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