Baby Dies after Choking on Grated Apple at Nursery in Kagoshima Pref.

Jiji Press

16:14 JST, June 1, 2023

KAGOSHIMA (Jiji Press) — A girl who lost consciousness at the age of 6 months after eating a grated apple at a nursery in Aira, Kagoshima Prefecture, last month died in hospital on Sunday, a lawyer representing the girl’s family has said.

The apple is believed to have become caught in the baby’s throat. Local police are investigating the cause.

According to the nursery and the city government, the girl ate the grated apple at snack time in the afternoon of April 18. When a nursey teacher later laid the girl on her back to change her clothes, the girl’s condition changed quickly. She was unconscious when she was sent to hospital.

The nursery explained that the apple was served without being heated. Under the government-set guidelines for nurseries, “heat and serve” is recommended for an apple until a baby is completely weaned, as it can get stuck easily depending on how hard it is.

“We were doing what we usually do, and the accident happened,” the principal of the nursery has told reporters.

The city of Aira will set up an inspection committee with outside experts on Monday.