Toddler's death remains a mystery after 10p coin is found lodged in his oesophagus

David Matthews had rushed another child to Royal Cornwall Hospital in Truro, for an unrelated injury when little Hayden became cold and blue

A toddler who tragically died in hospital at just 14 months old had swallowed a 10p coin, an inquest has been told.

David Matthews had rushed another child to Royal Cornwall Hospital in Truro, for an unrelated injury when little Hayden became cold and blue.

He had been ‘smiling and giggling’ on the one-hour journey to the hospital, so his father thought Hayden had just fallen asleep. 

But Hayden died about 30 minutes after turning blue, after there were attempts to resuscitate him.

A 10p coin was spotted during X-Rays.

A post-mortem exam found it lodged in the toddler’s oesophagus, the canal from the throat to the stomach.

A toddler who tragically died in hospital at just 14 months old had swallowed a 10p coin, an inquest has been told. Stock image

Hayden had been ‘smiling and giggling’ on the one-hour journey to Royal Cornwall Hospital

However it is not know how long the coin had been there, the BBC reported.

The inquest heard Hayden had a cough in the last few weeks and was given steroids and an inhaler, but there were no other health issues.

Andrew Cox, the senior coroner, recorded an open conclusion into Hayden’s death and ruled out neglect.

He was unable to conclude whether the 10p coin was what killed the little boy.