Kyle Lewis: Death of boy, 5, who passed away after swallowing a drawing pin, ruled accidental

A coroner has ruled the death of Kyle Lewis, aged five, who died after swallowing a pin at his uncle’s house in Rotherham, to be an accident. Kyle died on October 28, 2022, just six days after turning five, in the arms of his devastated parents, Emma and Mark Lewis. 

An inquest at Doncaster Coroner's Court (January 18) heard Kyle, from Swallownest, Rotherham, was initially taken to the nearest hospital - Rotherham General Hospital. Surgeons were unable to remove the almost one-inch pin manually and tried to insert a tracheostomy, but his lungs were flooded, and he suffered four cardiac arrests.

Kyle was transferred to Leeds General Infirmary, where he was put on life support, and tragically died two days later. Kyle’s family said in a statement, read outside court by Abigail Telford: "Kyle, a cheeky and fun-loving blue-eyed boy, gained his dino wings - a pain no parent can ever begin to imagine.

"Kyle was truly our miracle baby. His birth was eventful as he was born with his umbilical cord wrapped around his neck, which was terrifying for all of us. However, despite the scary start to life, he was a fighter and pulled through incredibly. He fought at the start of his life and he fought right until the end, like the warrior he was.

"Kyle was full of mischief… the giggle lingers in my head and heart as him shouting, ‘it wasn’t me mammy’, and then breaking into laughter. I would give anything to hear that one more time. We have had Kyle's picture placed in the back screen of our car so when we look up it looks like he is still in the back with us."

Abigail added: "This may sound like madness to some people but the pain we feel at the loss of our little boy is beyond words. Every day we make sure that we say to him: We loved you then, we loved you still, we always have, we always will. Our beautiful little dino angel will be loved and missed forever."

The inquest was told paramedics made the decision that Kyle needed urgent hospital treatment and Rotherham was the closest site. Dr Geoffrey Perring, a consultant at Sheffield Children's Hospital, told the court that the decision to take the boy to Rotherham had been the "correct one".