1-Year-Old Boy Dies at Daycare Facility After Slipping Through Small Opening on Playground Toy Slide

A 1-year-old boy has died after his head became stuck in a small opening on a toy slide at an in-home daycare facility outside Potosi, Missouri.

On Thursday, Jan. 8, police responded to a call about “a child not breathing” at the residence, KSDK News reported. The child had “slipped through a small opening on a playground slide,” and his head “became lodged, restricting the airway and resulting in a loss of oxygen,” Washington County Sheriff Dwayne Reed said in a news release shared on Facebook.

Reed said two deputies from the Washington County Sheriff’s Office were first to arrive and immediately began emergency care, including CPR. Fire Department personnel and the local Ambulance District arrived shortly afterward and also attempted life-saving measures, but the child later died from his injuries, authorities confirmed.

The incident reportedly happened inside the home of the woman who operates the daycare, according to KSDK News.

Reed described the slide as having a small platform with railings. He said there was an opening at the bottom of the railing—about five inches tall—large enough for the child to slip through but not large enough for his head to pass through, leaving him trapped.

The daycare operator attempted life-saving measures before emergency crews arrived, First Alert 4 reported.

“I can’t imagine anything more terrible,” Reed said, per KSDK News.

The child has not been publicly identified.

At the time of the incident, the daycare was reportedly caring for four children and is not licensed, First Alert 4 reported.

According to the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, a child care provider caring for six or fewer children, “including a maximum of three children under the age of two,” is not required to have a license or report that they are providing child care.

The Washington County Sheriff’s Office said it is investigating the incident along with the Missouri State Highway Patrol and the Missouri Division of Family Services.

“The WCSO extends its deepest condolences to the child’s family, caregivers, and all those affected by this tragic loss,” the sheriff’s office said. “Out of respect for the family and the integrity of the investigation, no further details will be released at this time.”