Coroner pledges to investigate toilet cleaning product following Fareham toddler’s death

Arietta-Grace Barnett, from Sarisbury Green, was taken to hospital after she is thought to have ingested the cleaner on June 28, 2019, and began vomiting a ‘bright pink’ liquid, the Winchester inquest was told.

She was declared well enough to leave hospital on July 2 before attending an outpatient appointment on the following day.

But after Arietta-Grace began vomiting blood on July 9, she was rushed by ambulance to Southampton General Hospital and died despite extensive resuscitation attempts to save her life.

As previously reported, Coroner Rosamund Rhodes-Kemp said Arietta-Grace was believed to have swallowed a Toilet Duck gel capsule which is designed to stick to the toilet bowl and slow-release its chemicals.

Ms Rhodes-Kemp said that a post-mortem examination found that Arietta-Grace died as a result of a haemorrhage from an aortoesophageal fistula with ulceration.

But she said it had not been proven that this corrosion of the oesophagus had been caused by the Toilet Duck product.

Recording a verdict of accidental death, she said that further investigation was needed to ensure the manufacturer could be alerted of the potentially lethal nature of its product.

She said: ‘The difficulty we have here is a connection between that product and what happened and it seems to me that needs further investigation.

‘It is designed to stick to a wet surface and not to be flushed through by water, if it does contain agents that can cause this sort of corrosion and this sort of death in a child then it’s very important the manufacturer is aware of that, can investigate themselves and steps can be taken to prevent this tragedy occurring again.’

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She added: ‘Toilet bowls are readily accessible to small children and these products are designed to be bright, pretty colours and attractive in smell, particularly to children.’

Paediatric surgeon Simon Keys told the hearing it was not certain that a chemical from the product had caused the injury and added: ‘If this is the explanation for the injury, it’s the first time it’s been described.

‘It’s a tragedy clearly, it has wide implications for everybody in the medical community treating people with this type of injury and for the people making these products.’

Arietta-Grace’s mother, Lucy Cook, described her daughter’s last moments after she was rushed by ambulance to Southampton General Hospital after she was found vomiting blood on July 9.

After doctors carried out resuscitation, she said: ‘An older doctor said “We have done all we can”. I saw Arietta and there was more blood coming out, I was told it was her last breath.

‘Someone gave me Arietta wrapped up in blankets. I noticed Arietta had her brown bow in her hair and she must have put this in herself after bedtime.’

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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