KENNEWICK, Wash.- A tragic incident occurred at a Costco store in Kennewick, Washington, where a 4-year-old girl died after choking on food. The incident took place on July 9, local news station KNDU reported.
According to the Benton County Coroner, it is believed that the girl was eating a hot dog when the choking incident happened. Onlookers present at the store immediately sprang into action, attempting to assist the girl by administering CPR and employing an AED. The incident was witnessed by numerous shoppers and employees, officials said.
Emergency Medical Services (EMS) personnel arrived at the scene within five minutes and managed to remove some food from the girl’s airway. She was then transported to a local hospital.
The young girl succumbed to asphyxia caused by choking, as reported by KNDU.
No autopsy was performed on the girl due to the large number of witnesses, the coroner said. The Costco store closed early on the day of the incident but resumed operations the following day.
No additional details have been disclosed.
