Gummy candy left toddler paralyzed, unable to speak after choking, lawsuit alleges
Amelie Paredes Sotelo (Bosworth Law)
A toddler who choked on a Candy Land-branded gummy candy was left permanently paralyzed and unable to control most of her bodily functions, a lawsuit alleges.
The lawsuit, filed against Frankford Candy Co. of Pennsylvania and Rhode Island-based Hasbro toy company for their Candy Land Gummy Dots, accuses both companies of product liability and negligence for failing to warn about choking hazards or suggest ages for children who eat the candy.
According to a news release from Philadelphia attorney Thomas Bosworth, the parents of 3-year-old Amelie Paredes Sotelo noticed her starting to choke on a piece of the Candy Land gummy candy on Dec. 13, 2022. Her parents tried to dislodge the candy on their own, but they weren’t able to. They had to rush her to the hospital.
Doctors who worked to remove the candy from the back of her throat found it "extremely difficult due to excessive stickiness of the product and its extraordinary lack of pliability," the lawsuit states.
RELATED: Colorado deputy saves choking baby's life: ‘I did what I needed to do’
Amelie’s brain went too long without oxygen, the lawsuit maintains, causing permanent brain damage with spastic quadriplegia, "unable to control most of her bodily functions, and must be fed through a permanent gastronomy tube."
Hasbro logo (Photo Illustration by Rafael Henrique/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
FOX TV Stations has reached out to Hasbro and Frankford Candy Co. for comment.
"These candies were a ticking time bomb. We will pursue justice for this innocent little girl who was once a vibrant and thriving child, but is now permanently disabled, unable to speak, unable to swallow, and unable to move, for the rest of her life," Bosworth, who represents the girl and her family, said in a statement. "It is shocking that this level of brain damage caused by just one single piece of this dangerous gel candy."
RELATED: Cosco Jump recalls Spin & Play activity toy after injuries reported
Bosworth told The Desert Sun that the case could be worth millions of dollars. Bosworth is requesting a jury trial.
"We will not stop until these candies are either removed from shelves or changed to contain a clear, thorough, and accurate warning about all of the true dangers of the product, including its choking hazard and a safe age range for consumption," Bosworth said in a statement.