A HEARTBROKEN mother today spoke of her grief after her baby son died within hours of choking on two chips.
Zoheb Hussain died 11 days after his first birthday after he was taken from Blackburn Infirmary to the children's intensive care unit at Leeds Royal Infirmary.
His mum, Zahida, 22 -- who has just given birth to her second child -- wept as she revealed how Zoheb turned blue after putting two chips into his mouth while her back was turned.
She also spoke about how she was trying to grieve for her son -- and look after her baby daughter Ayesha who was born within days of her brother's death.
Mrs Hussain and husband Mazher, 25, were spending a normal Sunday evening together at their home in Corwen Close, Blackburn, when the tragedy occurred.
Mrs Hussain said: "Zoheb had fallen asleep on the settee in the living room and I decided to make some chips in a chip pan at about 11.30pm. He woke up and I gave him a few mashed up chips, which I did quite regularly and which he loved.
"My husband said he also wanted some chips.
"I left my plate of chips on a table and went back into the kitchen to make some more. Then I heard my husband shout that something was wrong. "Zoheb had taken some chips from the plate and put them into his mouth. He had turned blue and we both started patting his back, but his body was still and he was not making any noise.
"We panicked, ran to a neighbour's house and they called an ambulance. When we got to Blackburn Infirmary the doctors managed to get two chips out of his throat, but he was unconscious."
At 6.30am the following day, Zoheb was taken by ambulance on the 50-mile trip to the nearest available paediatric intensive care bed, at Leeds Royal Infirmary. Mrs Hussain said there had been no available beds at Royal Manchester Children's Hospital, Pendlebury and Alder Hey, Liverpool.
She said he was put on a life-support machine, but his condition deteriorated and he died at about 2.30pm.
"He was a clever, lively little boy. He had just celebrated his first birthday on March 17 and he was already walking," his mum added.
"His birthday coincided with the Eid celebration and we had a huge party at our house."
On April 13, as Mrs Hussain continued to grieve for Zoheb, she went into labour nine days early and gave birth to Ayesha, who weighed six pounds, at Queen's Park Hospital, Blackburn. Ayesha is thriving with her parents who are staying with relatives in Bala Close, Blackburn, because they do not want to return to their home.
But her mum added: "It is so hard trying to grieve for my son and care for Ayesha who is so tiny."
An inquest has been opened and adjourned into the death of Zoheb and will resume on June 20.
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