A young girl has died after suffocating on a balloon

A young girl has died after suffocating on a balloon in an attempt to suck the helium gas out of it as a prank.

Tributes are flowing for 8-year-old Jaina McGloghoun who attempted to suck the helium gas out of the three foot balloon when tragedy struck.

The Sun reports Jaina became entangled with the party balloon and suffocated.

Reports say the girl had gone to bed after a birthday party at her house in Portland, Oregon, around 9pm.

balloon

When her dad went to check on her 20 minutes later he found her lying with the balloon over her head, unresponsive.

The girl’s grandmother was home when it happened.

She said: “My son went in to check on her and all he saw was a foot sticking out of her bed. Then he took the covers off and found the balloon on her head.

“He put her on the floor and cut the balloon off her head. He started CPR and we called 911.”

She added: “Right now, it’s too raw with everybody. What can you say? We all want to turn back yesterday and start over again.”

The girl’s uncle called Donny wrote: “I am completely devastated and heartbroken. I can’t even imagine how my brother Mike and sister My Ying are functioning, they are staying as strong as possible.“

Such a tragedy! Something we should all be aware of that’s for sure. Hold your little ones close.

Share your comments below.

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10 Comments

- - serotonin said
  - 27 Apr 2016
    3:12 pm
What a horrible tragedy! I don’t think anyone would expect something like this to happen. My oldest daughter turns 8 this weekend. No helium!

- - jesw355 said
  - 19 Apr 2016
    9:29 pm
This is why, even though he pleads and begs, I don’t give my son balloons.

- - Threelos said
  - 18 Apr 2016
    5:15 pm
What a terrible tragedy. The poor family. You don’t imagine such a thing happening to a kid that age but it sounded like a huge balloon.

- - mum4107 said
  - 04 Mar 2016
    5:46 am
That is such a tragedy. May she RIP

- - Mummytoabeautifulprincess said
  - 03 Mar 2016
    10:54 pm
What a terrible terrible tragedy. RIP Jaina

- - june11 said
  - 03 Mar 2016
    10:16 pm
A tragedy you would never imagine happening. If we have balloons I get somebody to double knot the top of them and put them up out of the reach of the children at least 2 1/2 metres from the floor. ladders that are stored and locked against the wall laying on their sides in the rafters of a locked garage are handy. We always make sure either the children aren’t home or are definitely in bed asleep. If they are given any, they usually hit them around the room, then are disposed of.

- - mom90758 said
  - 03 Mar 2016
    6:19 pm
What a terrible tragedy! Such a beautiful little girl!

- - Lizbef said
  - 03 Mar 2016
    1:44 pm
Wow how tragic. RIP little one

- - mom160421 said
  - 03 Mar 2016
    1:22 pm
I was aware back when my daughter was a toddler of the dangers of balloons and suffocation, and for that reason limited the use of balloons and was very cautious when I did use them.

- - lepumpkinhead said
  - 03 Mar 2016
    10:17 am
Such a tragic incident, I could only imagine how the parents would be feeling. Will never again let my daughter do this trick again.

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Article A young girl has died after suffocating on a balloon