The parents of a toddler left in an induced coma after a shocking baking accident have issued a warning to other parents to “check their cupboards” for potentially dangerous products.
Gold Coast mum and professional baker Katie Robinson was baking a Bluey-themed cake for the first birthday of her friend’s son when her own 14-month-old son, Dusty, inhaled “gold dust powder” that was part of the product.
In a GoFundMe set up by Ms Robinson’s friend, Rochelle Evrard, Dusty became unresponsive and Ms Robinson called triple-0.
“When the dust is mixed with water it turns to paste – so it immediately blocked Dusty’s lungs,” Ms Evrard wrote on the GoFundMe page.
Toddler in an induced coma and unable to breathe on his own after a shocking baking accident. Picture: GoFundMe
The toddler has since had surgery to clear his lungs and is having another surgery “to move his tube from his mouth to his nose and check his lungs again as he’s not breathing on his own yet”.
Speaking to 9News, Ms Robinson shed more light on what happened in the moments before the tragedy struck – including how her bubbly son was just “pottering around” as normal.
“He just found this little canister of metallic lustre dust,” Ms Robinson said, before seeing her child “coughing” and in distress.
“His eyes were rolling in his head and he couldn’t breathe properly,” she continued.
Dusty’s father, Chris Wildman, told 9News they tried to keep him awake.
“I just felt so helpless,” he said tearfully.
The product itself has been pulled from shelves.
Dusty remains in an induced coma, with the broadcaster reporting doctors are waiting to check his liver and kidneys.
Dusty’s parents are both sole traders and “don’t know when they’ll be able to work again”.
The $11,029 already raised will help Dusty’s parents with accommodation costs as they have had to relocate to Brisbane from the Gold Coast while their son receives treatment.