7-year-old girl dies from suffocation while popping her own birthday balloons

Alexandra had turned 7 on September 27. (Image: Channa Kelly/Facebook)

A 7-year-old girl was killed on by her own birthday balloons and now her mother is warning other parents about potential dangers of celebratory decorations, New York Post reported.

Alexandra Hope Kelly from Tennessee was popping balloons from her birthday when she was suffocated by the large number “7” balloon her family had purchased for her birthday party days earlier, her mother Channa Kelly said in a Facebook post on Sunday. “That’s what took my baby, it was her birthday balloon,” Kelly told WAFB. “It’s hard to comprehend.”

Alexandra had turned 7 on September 27 and was popping the latex balloons used at her birthday, a week later. Kelly went to her room “unaware of any dangers with this type of balloon” and briefly fell asleep, she said. When she woke up, she found her child face down on the living room floor with the popped balloon around her head.

She immediately removed the balloon, called 911 and immediately began CPR. Emergency personnel took over CPR when an ambulance arrived, but the little girl couldn’t be saved.

“They worked tirelessly to try to bring her back but their attempts to revive her were unsuccessful,” she said. “I cried hysterically and was in utter shock and disbelief of what had just occurred, that my daughter and only child was actually gone.”

It is not clear if Alexandra died of suffocation or helium poisoning. A medical examiner is conducting an autopsy to determine the exact cause of death and police are investigating her death, New York Post reported.

“On Sunday, October 1st my entire world collapsed around me all because I was unaware of the risk surrounding these types of balloons… I hope and pray that [sharing our story] will prevent and save the life of other children. I wouldn’t want anyone else to experience the pain and devastation that the loss of a child brings," Kelly added.