A three-year-old boy unknowingly swallowed two metal pins concealed inside decorative chocolate bowling pins on his birthday cake in Maharashtra, turning a celebration into a harrowing nightmare for his family.
A three-year-old boy unknowingly swallowed two metal pins concealed inside decorative chocolate bowling pins on his birthday cake in Maharashtra, turning a celebration into a harrowing nightmare for his family. For Sneha Shelar, a biology teacher residing in Thane's Hiranandani Estate, the incident remains an unforgettable ordeal despite her son eventually recovering without surgery.
“My son’s birthday cake became the worst nightmare of my life,” she said.
The family had gathered on May 31 to celebrate Reyaansh's birthday eve with a Spiderman-themed party and a specially designed bowling alley cake. Everything appeared perfect.
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“It was everything I dreamed of the decorations, the cake and our entire family, basically everything he loves,” she recalled.
However, things took a turn the following day - Reyaansh's actual birthday - when the family found themselves rushing to a hospital instead of cutting cake and creating memories.
According to Shelar, a Thane-based bakery had inserted metal wires inside the chocolate bowling pins as structural supports but allegedly failed to inform the family, despite being told that the cake was intended for young children and toddlers.
The alarming discovery surfaced when older children attending the celebration noticed metal wires hidden inside some of the decorative pieces and immediately alerted their parents. Fearing the worst, Reyaansh's family rushed him for medical examination the next morning.
“The scan showed two metal pins lodged in his small intestine,” his mother said.
Doctors at Jupiter Hospital assessed the situation and advised against surgery, explaining that the metal pieces had already moved into the intestine. Instead, they recommended careful monitoring and waiting for the pins to pass naturally.
“Reyaansh is safe now. Both wires passed naturally after 48 hours. But those 48 hours were the most terrifying of my life,” she said in a social media post.
Shelar also urged parents to exercise caution and question bakers about hidden supports in cakes and whether decorative elements are completely edible.
Seeking accountability, the family approached the Kasarvadawali police. However, they were informed that the matter fell under the jurisdiction of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). FDA officials, in turn, stated that an investigation could not proceed without a sample of the cake or the chocolate bowling pin involved in the incident.
Commenting on the matter, Shirish Deshpande of the Maharashtra Grahak Parishad pointed to consumer protection laws that could offer relief to affected families.
“The chapter also covers mental trauma, not just physical liability,” he said, adding that affected families can seek compensation before consumer courts.
