A coroner has pressed for a review to make defibrillators compulsory at childcare facilities following the tragic choking death of two-year-old Lauren Boland at a Wicklow creche two years ago, as reported by the Irish Mirror. The call came during an inquest at Dublin District Coroner’s Court, which returned a verdict of death by misadventure.
Lauren Boland, from Delgany, Co Wicklow, passed away on January 19, 2023, at Children’s Health Ireland at Crumlin, a day after choking on a pea at the Little Explorers centre in Greystones. According to the Irish Mirror, Coroner Clare Keane stated, “There’s no doubt her death was due to the pea, a clear risk factor,” highlighting the incident’s cause as she recorded the misadventure verdict.
Dr Keane’s additional plea: “I’ll notify authorities about considering mandatory defibrillators and reviewing dietary guidelines for choking hazards.” A postmortem revealed a single 11×5 millimeter pea blocked Lauren’s airway, a finding the Irish Mirror noted as sufficient to cause her death by oxygen deprivation, the Irish Mirror reported.
The inquest, covered by the Irish Mirror, heard that CCTV captured Lauren’s distress at 12:06 p.m. on January 18, 2023, moments after lunch. Interim manager Karen Kinsella told the Irish Mirror, “I saw her pointing at her throat, gasping, so I slapped her back and checked her mouth, but found nothing,” describing the initial response as staff rushed to help.
Lauren’s father, Matt Boland, tearfully recalled to the Irish Mirror, “She was always happy, no health problems, and that morning she pointed at the moon saying ‘sun.’” He arrived at the creche amid chaos, telling the Irish Mirror, “I held her hand, said I loved her,” as her heart stopped for 40 minutes before an ambulance transfer.
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Her mother, Lisa Boland, recounted to the Irish Mirror, “They called at 12:17 p.m. saying she’d swallowed a pea, then at 12:19 p.m. that she was responsive.” She arrived to find Lauren pale and cold, adding to the Irish Mirror, “I tried mouth-to-mouth, but staff said they hadn’t due to a blockage—they seemed frozen in shock.”
Lisa expressed to the Irish Mirror, “I’ll never know why no one got pediatric defibrillator pads from nearby shops,” frustrated by the lack of action. Assistant manager Debbie Cassidy-Canavan admitted to the Irish Mirror, “I felt disbelief when it wasn’t working,” while staff Grace Kennedy and Amy Roberts told the Irish Mirror they performed CPR until help arrived.
Little Explorers director Gina McGarry informed the Irish Mirror, “We reviewed our policies—no issues found—and now have defibrillators in all centres from fundraising, though it’s not required.” She added to the Irish Mirror, “Four staff had advanced first aid training that day, beyond the one required.”
Pathologist John O’Neill explained to the Irish Mirror, “A compressed pea in her larynx caused a cardiorespiratory arrest, cutting oxygen to her brain.” The Irish Mirror noted the DPP’s decision, post-Garda investigation, to pursue no charges.
Family counsel William Martin-Smith BL told the Irish Mirror, “Misadventure fits—a controlled setting with delayed Heimlich and ambulance calls,” while creche counsel Veronica McInerney BL countered to the Irish Mirror, “Accidental death suits—staff acted fast per training.” After the verdict, Lisa said to the Irish Mirror, “This is about our girl, gone too soon—she deserved more, and we’re haunted by what ifs.”
Lisa described Lauren to the Irish Mirror, “She was our brightest star, full of magic—our baby boss,” lamenting she’d never meet her brother Harry or start school. Post-inquest, Matt and Lisa told the Irish Mirror, “We trusted her safety—every child deserves that, and lessons must be learned.”
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