Balloon suffocates 6-year-old in ‘rare but devastating’ accident, IL coroner says
A “rare but devastating” accident occurred when a 6-year-old boy was suffocated to death by a balloon, the Illinois coroner’s office and family members said.
The Wabash County Coroner’s Office responded to a Mt. Carmel home where a child had died May 29, officials said in a June 4 news release.
The boy, identified by family as Gunner Hyatt, had just finished his first year of kindergarten when he was killed in a balloon accident, according to the Wabash County Coroner’s Office and family members.
“Gunner was a joyful and fun-spirited little boy whose laughter brightened every room and whose heart was full of adventure,” his obituary said.
Now, the coroner’s office hopes to bring awareness to the dangers of the items “often seen as harmless decorations,” officials said.
Balloons can pose “serious risks” to young children, the coroner’s office said, such suffocation and helium toxicity.
“Gunner lived life with a fearless spirit, a playful heart, and a smile that will never be forgotten,” according to the obituary.
Mt. Carmel is about a 280-mile drive south from Chicago.
This story was originally published June 4, 2025 at 4:51 PM with the headline "Balloon suffocates 6-year-old in ‘rare but devastating’ accident, IL coroner says."
