David Hayes, 82, died after ingesting washing detergent in confusion, an inquest into his death has found – with the coroner warning of a ‘risk of similar events’
A pensioner died after mistaking washing detergent for milk and pouring it into his tea.
David Hayes was rushed to hospital after ingesting the product in confusion, an inquest into his death heard. The coroner warning of a ‘risk of similar events’ following the death of the 82-year-old, who suffered from dementia.
It is believed that he inhaled the detergent and stomach acid into his lungs, which caused irreversible damage. In hospital, he was diagnosed with pneumonitis – a condition which causes lung swelling – likely due to the chemical aspiration. Despite medics’ best efforts, he died five days later.
David had Alzheimer’s disease, the most common type of dementia, is was explained at his inquest at Bolton Coroner’s Court, which concluded his death was accidental, with the official cause being pneumonitis and aspiration due to ingestion of a chemical substance.
Coroner Michael Pemberton said: “This had occurred when he had made a cup of tea at home and put washing detergent into the cup instead of milk after an apparent confusion. He had vomited following the ingestion and it is likely that he aspirated.” After the inquest, he wrote a formal warning to the Government and charities in a bid to prevent similar deaths, The Sun reported.
He wrote to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, Age UK, Dementia UK and the Alzheimer’s Society, highlighting safety concerns around the packaging of household cleaning products.
This is because the detergent had been stored in a plastic bottle that resembled a milk bottle with an easily accessible screw top, and no features to prevent a child from opening it. In his view, it made it “easily accessible by a person with reduced capacity or dementia, or even a child” with there being a “risk of similar events.”
In 2022, a woman in the US died after being given dishwashing liquid to drink instead of juice at the American nursing home where she lived. The woman was one of three residents at Atria Park Senior Living Facility in San Mateo, California, who were rushed to hospital after staff mistakenly gave them the toxic liquid, according to KRON-TV.
The victim’s daughter, Marcia Cutchin, identified her mum Gertrude Elizabeth Murison Maxwell as the victim in the unfortunate incident. She claims the nursing home told her family the liquid given to her mother was an “alkaline cleaning solution that eats protein”.
Atria Park said in a statement at the time: “We have been working with local authorities, who have informed us that one resident passed away. Our sincerest condolences are with the family.”