Steff Posted December 21, 2005 Share Posted December 21, 2005 http://www.katu.com/stories/81908.html So sad... By Michelle Esteban KOMO News REDMOND, Wash. - A freak accident involving a popular toy has killed a 2-year-old boy. And now, Kenny Sweet's parents hope that other parents can learn from their tragedy. It was Thanksgiving Day when Kenny was rushed to Kirkland's Evergreen Medical Center emergency room with what his mom thought was the stomach flu. But five minutes later, Kenny had died. "I heard 'code blue' and I was hysterical at that point," Penny Sweet said. "I thought maybe if we all could pray at the same time that we could pull him out, but no amount of prayers or people could save him at that point." The King County Medical Examiner's report blames his death on a toy. The autopsy found tiny magnets, smaller than the eraser on a pencil, in Kenny's intestine. The magnets were encased in plastic building blocks toys that Penny's 10-year-old son had been playing with. Penny says some of the magnets fell out, and Kenny apparently found them in the carpet and swallowed them. "It's very dangerous. Who can police this?" asks Kenny's mother. Doctors found the magnets in Kenny's small intestine - one at the top and one at the bottom. The magnetic force was so great it connected both ends, twisting his intestine and forcing deadly bacteria into his blood stream. "It does say there is a choking hazard on here," Penny Sweet said. "Unfortunately, they don't say it causes serious injury or death, which is the kind warning they need to have on here." Dr. Terry Woodward, Children's Hospital Chief of Emergency Medicine, is not connected with Kenny's case, but he explained what happens when the intestine is twisted: "As it twists farther, you lose blood supply to the intestine. Once you lose blood supply, then it starts to die." Mega Bloks, based in Montreal, manufactures the toy. It's one in a series called Magnetix. A spokesperson for the company said that in nearly 70 years in the toy business, this is the first death resulting from one of their toys. The spokesman said the Magnetix toys are still on the shelf, but Mega Bloks is investigating. With Christmas just days away the Sweets didn't want to wait for the company's findings, they want to warn other parents immediately. Mega Bloks reported Kenny Sweet's death to The Consumer Product Safety Commission. The commission confirmed for KOMO 4 News it does have an "open investigation." Mega Bloks says it's up to the commission to decide if the toy should be pulled off toy shelves. In October, Toy Wishes, a self-described family entertainment guide, named the Magnetix as one of the top 12 toys for Christmas this year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iwritecode Posted December 21, 2005 Share Posted December 21, 2005 (edited) I my god! They killed Kenny! You bastards! OK, that was wrong. Anway... Wow. I don't think anyone in a million years could've dreamt up a scenario like this. It's just one of those freak accidents that occurs out of the blue. With all the magnets they have in toys these days, I wonder if they'll have to start putting more warning lables on them. Just a few years ago a local boy was riding his bike in a parking lot and tried to jump over a parking block with it. He fell off his bike, hit his head just right on the pavement and was killed. I can't count the number of times I've knocked my head on something... Edited December 21, 2005 by Iwritecode Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southsider2k5 Posted December 21, 2005 Share Posted December 21, 2005 QUOTE(Iwritecode @ Dec 21, 2005 -> 12:42 PM) I my god! They killed Kenny! You bastards! OK, that was wrong. Anway... Wow. I don't think anyone in a million years could've dreamt up a scenario like this. It's just one of those freak accidents that occurs out of the blue. With all the magnets they have in toys these days, I wonder if they'll have to start putting more warning lables on them. Just a few years ago a local boy was riding his bike in a parking lot and tried to jump over a parking block with it. He fell off his bike, hit his head just right on the pavement and was killed. I can't count the number of times I've knocked my head on something... And while you are still alive... it does explain a lot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mreye Posted December 21, 2005 Share Posted December 21, 2005 Doctors found the magnets in Kenny's small intestine - one at the top and one at the bottom. The magnetic force was so great it connected both ends, twisting his intestine and forcing deadly bacteria into his blood stream. I'm sorry. I'm having problems seeing this. Unless these are some powerful assed magnets. We've got the magnetic letters that go on the fridge that have bigger than The autopsy found tiny magnets, smaller than the eraser on a pencil and they fall off the fridge all the time. Yes, a 2 year old's intestines are smaller, but I just can't see it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steff Posted December 21, 2005 Author Share Posted December 21, 2005 QUOTE(mreye @ Dec 21, 2005 -> 12:21 PM) I'm sorry. I'm having problems seeing this. Unless these are some powerful assed magnets. We've got the magnetic letters that go on the fridge that have bigger than and they fall off the fridge all the time. Yes, a 2 year old's intestines are smaller, but I just can't see it. I heard a snippit on Fox news that they are something called (or like) "rare earth" magnets. Those are the kind the manufacture supposedly uses (common for other toy makers as well). And they are apparently supposed to be that strong to hold the toy together. They did say they were not at all like the alpha magnets. I know what a 2 day olds intestines look like.. they are tiny. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iwritecode Posted December 21, 2005 Share Posted December 21, 2005 QUOTE(Steff @ Dec 21, 2005 -> 12:41 PM) I heard a snippit on Fox news that they are something called (or like) "rare earth" magnets. Those are the kind the manufacture supposedly uses (common for other toy makers as well). And they are apparently supposed to be that strong to hold the toy together. They did say they were not at all like the alpha magnets. I know what a 2 day olds intestines look like.. they are tiny. I've seen and played with the magnetix toys. The magnets are a little bit stronger than the alphabet letters. Still, they had to have been positioned just right and just close enough together for this to happen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mreye Posted December 21, 2005 Share Posted December 21, 2005 QUOTE(Steff @ Dec 21, 2005 -> 12:41 PM) I heard a snippit on Fox news that they are something called (or like) "rare earth" magnets. Those are the kind the manufacture supposedly uses (common for other toy makers as well). And they are apparently supposed to be that strong to hold the toy together. They did say they were not at all like the alpha magnets. I know what a 2 day olds intestines look like.. they are tiny. I believe it, I just have a hard time, that's all. Oh yeah, I'll bet the 2 year old's are tiny. How's he coming along now, Steff? I haven't seen the updates. I've been real busy at work the past week and a half and may have missed it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mercy! Posted December 22, 2005 Share Posted December 22, 2005 ...I know what a 2 day olds intestines look like.. they are tiny. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I couldn't believe that little hanging sack o' tiny intestines in one of your photos. It was really amazing to think they just eventually got suuuucked back in. Pretty awesome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balta1701 Posted December 22, 2005 Share Posted December 22, 2005 QUOTE(Steff @ Dec 21, 2005 -> 10:41 AM) I heard a snippit on Fox news that they are something called (or like) "rare earth" magnets. Those are the kind the manufacture supposedly uses (common for other toy makers as well). And they are apparently supposed to be that strong to hold the toy together. They did say they were not at all like the alpha magnets. I know what a 2 day olds intestines look like.. they are tiny. Chemistry lesson time... Rare earth magnets are incredibly strong magnets which are based on elements which sit in those bottom 2 rows of the periodic table. Most common magnets which you're familiar with are based off of iron, which in 1 oxidation state gives magnetite, a common terrestrial mineral. These magnets, most commonly made with Neodymium-Iron-Boron alloys, are vastly stronger than the ones you're used to feeling on your fridge. They produce a magnetic field roughly 10-25 times stronger than the ones you're accustomed to. You do, however, have some right in front of you - your computer's hard drive uses them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mercy! Posted December 22, 2005 Share Posted December 22, 2005 Chemistry lesson time... Rare earth magnets are incredibly strong magnets which are based on elements which sit in those bottom 2 rows of the periodic table. Most common magnets which you're familiar with are based off of iron, which in 1 oxidation state gives magnetite, a common terrestrial mineral ....... Thank you for the info. So why don't some manufacturers make fridge magnets out of this material? I hate those cheesy tiny iron ones that always fall off 'cause they're so weak? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balta1701 Posted December 22, 2005 Share Posted December 22, 2005 QUOTE(Mercy! @ Dec 22, 2005 -> 03:28 PM) Thank you for the info. So why don't some manufacturers make fridge magnets out of this material? I hate those cheesy tiny iron ones that always fall off 'cause they're so weak? I don't even need a word to answer that one: $$$$. These things are very expensive compared to your normal "Refrigerator" magnet materials. You don't just find large bodies of Neodymium lying around in too many places like you do with iron ore, and there's a fair amount of processing involved to get things into the right oxidation state and magnetized. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mercy! Posted December 22, 2005 Share Posted December 22, 2005 But if they're in kid's toys, how expensive could they be? Or maybe I just didn't read the article closely enough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balta1701 Posted December 23, 2005 Share Posted December 23, 2005 QUOTE(Mercy! @ Dec 22, 2005 -> 03:56 PM) But if they're in kid's toys, how expensive could they be? Or maybe I just didn't read the article closely enough. Well, let's put it this way, compared with the price of normal iron magnets, they're much more expensive. They're relatively cheap if you want to spend a couple bucks on a fridge magnet, but most people get theirs basically for free when someone hands them out or attached to the back of something. So if you wanted one, there's nothing stopping you from going to Google & buying one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sox It To Em Posted December 23, 2005 Share Posted December 23, 2005 Terrible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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