A four-year-old boy from Fenton, known for his cheerful nature and constant hunger, tragically passed away after swallowing fridge magnets. Bohuslav Curi died at the Royal Stoke University Hospital on August 25 following a series of severe complications.
Pathologist’s Confirmation of Cause
Pathologist Dr. Marta Cohen detailed the findings from the post-mortem examination during the inquest. She explained that Bohuslav’s death stemmed from a small bowel perforation, which triggered acute peritonitis and sepsis as harmful bacteria escaped from his intestines.
Dr. Cohen stated: “He had suffered a short four-day history of vomiting and abdominal pain. His vomiting became a green-black colour. He became lethargic. The clinical suspicion was one of intra-abdominal pathology, with possible bowel perforation. The CT scan showed a metallic body in the bowel, made up of two small objects.”
Further examination revealed a one-by-one centimeter magnet perforating the bowel, connected to a second magnet. This injury directly led to the peritonitis and subsequent sepsis.
Timeline of Symptoms
Dr. Matthew Harkess, a pediatrician at the Royal Stoke University Hospital, recounted the progression of Bohuslav’s illness. Symptoms began on Wednesday evening with vomiting, which his mother initially viewed as minor. By Thursday, abdominal pain emerged, prompting her to administer paracetamol.
On Friday, Bohuslav seemed to recover, even attending a birthday party. However, Saturday brought renewed pain and vomiting, with his last bowel movement that morning. Sunday marked a sharp decline: he grew extremely lethargic, his vomit turned green and black—indicating bile and blood—and he cried out when his abdomen was touched.
Dr. Harkess noted: “His mother said that if she touched his abdomen, he would cry out in pain. This progressed over the course of the day until it reached the point where he was lying on his back, rolling his eyes and vomiting while lying down. By night time, his mother described him as being floppy and unable to stand up by himself. She called the ambulance at that point.”
Emergency Response and Hospital Efforts
Bohuslav arrived at the emergency department just before 1 a.m. via ambulance. His condition deteriorated rapidly upon arrival. Paramedics reported that he stopped breathing, entering cardiac arrest at 1:06 a.m.
The medical team initiated cardiopulmonary resuscitation and assembled a broader response unit. Observations included a distended abdomen and dark green vomitus in his airway during attempts to insert an endotracheal tube, consistent with bowel obstruction.
Dr. Harkess described the efforts: “The team continued to attempt resuscitation until around 1.40 a.m., so for just over half an hour. Despite all our attempts, the patient was worsening and we entered a futile situation. We decided continued attempts were not in the best interest of the patient and ceased.”
Coroner’s Final Ruling
Coroner Daniel Howe agreed with the post-mortem results, ruling that Bohuslav’s death resulted from complications of ingesting the fridge magnets. The boy, who lived with his parents and grandparents, faced challenges like hearing loss and developmental delays but remained generally healthy and active.
Mr. Howe remarked: “Bohuslav Curi was a four-year-old boy… described as a cheerful and active child… He was described as a good eater – sometimes seeming to be constantly hungry.”
On August 20, Bohuslav fell ill with vomiting, initially attributed to overeating. Medical suspicions of perforation proved correct, leading to his rapid decline. The examination identified the objects as household fridge magnets, confirmed by his parents. Although Bohuslav was not known to ingest foreign items, the coroner concluded he swallowed the magnet at an unknown time, causing the fatal perforation, peritonitis, and sepsis.
