Inquest: Cause of 14-Month-Old's Death After Coin Swallowing Remains Unclear

An inquest into the death of 14-month-old Hayden David Lewis Matthews revealed that he had swallowed a 10p coin, though it remains unclear whether this caused his death. Hayden was taken to Royal Cornwall Hospital by his father, David Matthews, who initially thought his son had fallen asleep during their drive. Shortly after arriving at the hospital, Hayden became unresponsive, turning cold and blue, and despite resuscitation efforts, he died about 30 minutes later. A post-mortem examination found the coin lodged in his esophagus, but the coroner, Andrew Cox, could not determine how long it had been there or if it was the cause of death, recording an open conclusion and ruling out neglect. Hayden had experienced some recent health concerns but was described as a generally healthy child. A thorough investigation by police found no suspicious circumstances surrounding his death.