Doctor describes 'one of the most difficult' interventions after boy choked to death at Croatian school

A tragedy has struck an elementary school in Velika Gorica, Croatia, where a young student lost his life after choking on food during a recess period. The incident occurred around 3 PM, and despite the swift response of teachers and emergency medical personnel, the boy could not be revived.

“

The child was lively, jumping and laughing during the break. He ate a large piece of a doughnut, and apparently inhaled it into his airway.

According to the school principal, who was too distraught to speak on camera, the boy was eating a doughnut when he apparently inhaled a large piece. Witnesses among the students and staff reported that the child quickly turned blue, stopped breathing, and collapsed.

Teachers immediately initiated CPR and called for emergency services. Sanja Kos, an on-duty doctor from the Zagreb County Emergency Medicine Institute who participated in the resuscitation, recounted the harrowing details. "The child was lively, jumping and laughing during the break. He ate a large piece of a doughnut, and apparently inhaled it into his airway," Kos told RTL.

“

We proceeded with the resuscitation procedure until we noticed the child was not responding. Further signs of death were observed. We stopped the resuscitation at 3:35 PM.

Emergency responders arrived to find teachers already performing chest compressions and artificial respiration. The child showed no signs of life, with no breathing or heartbeat. "We proceeded with the resuscitation procedure until we noticed the child was not responding. Further signs of death were observed. We stopped the resuscitation at 3:35 PM," Kos stated, expressing deep regret over the outcome. The medical team performed advanced life support measures for approximately 45 to 50 minutes, undertaking all possible actions to save the boy's life. Kos acknowledged the emotional toll of such interventions, especially when involving children, describing it as one of the most difficult situations emergency medical services encounter.

“

It is emotionally taxing in any case, it is always difficult when something like this happens to someone. With children, it is...