Don’Vyaire Avita-Mays was two days from his first birthday when a piece of a balloon became lodged in his throat.
KENOSHA, Wis. — An 11-month-old Wisconsin boy died two days before his first birthday after part of a balloon animal became lodged in his throat during a family outing at a trunk-or-treat event, according to his mother and family.
Don’Vyaire Avita-Mays, known to his family as “Baby Don,” died Oct. 24 after the accident in Kenosha. His mother, Kisha Avita-Wilson, told NBC Chicago that her older children had received balloon animals at the Halloween-season event. The family had been trying to keep the balloons away from the baby when one came undone and he was able to grab it. Family members and emergency responders tried to save him, but he went into cardiac arrest.
Avita-Wilson told NBC Chicago that her son grabbed the loosened balloon and bit it, causing the tied portion to become lodged in his throat. She immediately removed him from his car seat and began lifesaving efforts while another person also tried to help. Emergency medical crews arrived and attempted to clear the obstruction, she said, but Don’Vyaire could not be saved. The family’s account was later shared by People and in an online fundraiser created after his death.
The timing of the accident added to the family’s grief. A fundraiser organized by Mary Lott, who identified Avita-Wilson as her niece and adoptive daughter, said Don’Vyaire was born Oct. 26, 2025, and died Oct. 24, 2026. He would have turned 1 two days later. The fundraiser described him as a deeply loved child whose laugh and smile brought joy to his family.
Avita-Wilson was 30 weeks pregnant when the accident occurred. NBC Chicago reported that she remained hospitalized after the stress surrounding her son’s death led to early contractions. The family fundraiser also said she was grieving while preparing for Don’Vyaire’s funeral and caring for her two daughters. The fundraiser was established to help the family with funeral and related expenses.
After her son’s death, Avita-Wilson publicly called attention to the dangers balloons can pose to young children. She told NBC Chicago that warning labels were not enough and questioned why balloons continue to be marketed for events involving children. Her comments came as federal safety guidance has long recognized uninflated and broken balloons as a particular choking and suffocation risk.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission says children younger than 8 can choke or suffocate on uninflated or broken balloons. Federal rules require latex balloons, and toys or games containing them, to carry a warning telling adults to keep uninflated balloons away from children and immediately discard broken pieces. The agency has also warned that balloon material can conform to a child’s airway and completely block breathing.
The accident described by Avita-Wilson involved a balloon animal that had come undone rather than an intact inflated balloon. According to the family’s account, the adults had already been trying to keep the balloons away from Don’Vyaire before he was able to reach the loosened material. No publicly reviewed report indicated that authorities suspected criminal conduct in connection with his death.
Avita-Wilson has since focused her public comments on warning other families about balloon hazards. The family continued to make funeral arrangements and raise money for expenses following Don’Vyaire’s death. No additional official findings about the accident were located in the sources reviewed as of Tuesday.
.