Girl Swallows 30 Magnets, Steel Balls

Toy's Parts "Looked Like Candy" To Her; They Rip 8 Holes In Her Intestines; "Lucky To Be Alive"

(CBS)  An eight-year-old Indiana girl swallowed 30 magnets and steel balls from a toy last month and, her father says, needed emergency surgery to save her from what doctors told him were eight gunshot or stab-like holes in her intestines.

Haley Lents told Early Show co-anchor Maggie Rodriguez Monday she ingested the ten magnets and 20 steel balls because they "looked like candy."

Haley's father, Jason Lents, told CBS News he "really" doesn't understand how Haley could have consumed the parts, because she "gets A's and B's, and we taught her not to do stuff like this."

Jason says doctors told him Haley is lucky to be alive. She spent two weeks in the hospital.

He says he and his wife were in the same room as Haley in their Huntingburg home when she consumed the items, and they didn't even realize it. He says they rushed Haley to the hospital two days later when she began experiencing pain so severe she could barely stand up.

The parts came from a toy called Magnetix, made by Mega Brands, which issued a statement about the incident: ""Mega Brands was saddened to learn that a child sustained injury from ingesting a large number of toy parts, some of which apparently contained magnets. While we have not been able to confirm whether the toy involved was a MEGA Brands product, it is clear this was a highly unusual and isolated situation and is not indicative of any problem with Mega Brands' magnetic construction toys currently on the market. In general, if a child swallows 30 pieces of any toy, it is likely that it will result in harm regardless of the toy in question."

Haley told Rodriguez she wants other kids to know they shouldn't eat toy parts.

Jason also wants to get the word out. He pointed out to Rodriguez that, "These are high intensity magnets. There are so many parents out there that have no idea that these toys -- it just takes two magnets to kill someone. ... And because they are so easy to swallow ... (Mega Brands hasn't) done enough. Now, Mega ... has said that, coming out in July of '08, next month, that they have a completely redesigned magnetic set that contains no magnetic parts that can be swallowed. ... They obviously feel that there's an issue."

To see the complete interview of Haley and Jason Lents, click on the video below.

[stalicone]

This child has Pica and is immediate need of therapy. This is not about parents inattentiveness or a childs stupidity. This is about a mental illness which results in a compulsive eating disorder. This child need long term therapy. I also wonder about her home life. This may be a manifestation of something else that is going on.

[jwlankford1]

All parents know the speed at which children can do stupid things. We shouldn''t blame the parents for not watching her. Blame should fall on the parents and the toy maker for allowing the dangerous situation. These types of toys should be removed from the market all together.

[nanging3]

where was Mommy ????


Please sign petition to get rid of radical...


www.thepetitionsite.com/1/removable-of-f
ather-michael-pfleger


Please sign the petition to get "Father" Pfleger removed permanently. He is a disgrace to the Catholic church.

[keyofe]

I agree this girl''s actions were foolish and her parents were negligent. I disagree with those commenting that this child is an idiot because she should have known better. How many stories are there of adults who have acted stupidly but knew better? At this point this child needs support, guidance, and better parents.

[h3rby]

I''m surprised this wasn''t a Florida or Germany story. The Idiocy must be spreading out. Well... here''s my thought... For the person who says they know this family, I''ve got a tip for you. Firstly, I agree with all the other people who have posted here about how absolutely terrible these parents are. But you should tell them, the worst bit is that this story actually made it to THIS site, to the Internet, to public television, AND the parents gave out their daughter''s name, AND participated in a live video interview, showing their daughter''s face TO THE WORLD. That''s the final and perhaps most lasting mistake they could have made for their 8 year old girl. Good job crushing out any potential she might have had! Little Haley won''t be living this one down anytime soon. Yes, she''s lucky she didn''t die, but she won''t be feeling that way much longer. It might be time to start thinking about private schooling, because this little girl will soon realize the torture that comes from negative peer opinions. If you think that won''t escalate the damage that has already been done, think again. This chubby dad isn''t warning anyone about the dangers of magnetic toys... nay, he''s simply etching his daughter''s name and face into the bathroom stall of Darwin''s Hall of Shame for the rest of her soon-to-be, sad, sad life.

[rhb1963]

The so-called parents were in the SAME ROOM with her.
That''s what makes this story so unbelieveable.

[luvthemredwi]

Note to all parents with young kids:

If you catch your child doing something this stupid,
(and by "stupid" I mean Uncommon & UNUSUAL), Spanking a child for something like this would be pointless.

I recommend putting them on a special "TimeOut" to teach them a lesson, just stick them to the door of the Refridge'' for a while, it''ll teach them a good lesson and for the Parent..
....well..HEY, FREE FRIDGE MAGNET !

[koonersgirl]

Lets just put aside the fact that at her age she should''ve known better, but where were her adoptive parents?? If they knew she had this problem, then they should be more cautious about the toys they buy her, I mean c''mon people a little common sense goes a long way. I feel bad for her, but it''s just one of those things that could have been prevented knowing that she makes it a habit of eating things she shouldn''t

[rf35]

When the objects were being removed, I hope the surgeon also sterilized her...she has no business passing on her genes.

[rhb1963]

If the parents knew she had these tendencies then they either should NEVER HAD BOUGHT the toy or WATCHED HER MORE CLOSELY.

But I got to tell you it sure did look to me like he was trying to place the the blame squarely on anyone else but he or his wife.

I can say my kids weren''t perfect. I got an 18 year old that hit a tree with a wooden baseball bat and it bounced off and split him open over his eye (16 stitches)just 2 months ago (dumb teenager). He also once swallowed a marble at 4 yrs old.

My 2 girls (17 and 22) have also gotten into similar mischief when they were young (minus the baseball bat incident).

But nothing to the extent of this. As a parent you have to be vigilant at all times. With both in the same room the likelyhood of something like that happening should have been slim to none.

But I don''t know, I''ve only been a parent for 22 years.

[iamamzed]

Eight years old? Must be something else wrong with this "child" if she thinks that 30 (count''em 30!)magnets and steel balls are "candy"!?! Does she have one of those eating disorders where food must be kept from her by hiding and/or locking away? Has she been put on a "no sweets" diet by her parents? GOODNESS GRACIOUS!

[prairiefox1]

YOU CAN BE BOOK SMART AND STILL BE AN IDIOT!

[prairiefox1]

DEFINITE SIGN THAT SHE IS AN IDIOT! THE BRAIN SHOULD BE DEVELOPED ENOUGH TO KNOW NOT TO DO THAT WHEN SHE WAS 6!

[bobnjersey]

[Haley was adopted and ever since she was in the orphanage she has been eating things she shouldn''''t. She has been evaluated and the doctors are certain that she is just a normal (very intelligent) child that for some odd reason likes to eat things ... I am just sick of people making fun of her because she is different.]
[Posted by bbbirk at 02:18 PM : Jun 04, 2008]

thanks for the response. there was a poster on this thread that had a reference to a condition that has this behaviour as one of it''s symptom (or it was ''the'' symptom). it was called ''pica''.

no telling if this is related to this girls issue ... but it might be worth mentioning to the family.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pica_(disorder)
(Posted by TeacherMan7 at 03:12 PM : Jun 03, 2008)

[cheddarboy82]

So the Dad wants to put awarness out there for other kids that swallowing magnets is bad ??!! LOL Huh, yeah, duh !!

[xo8_05]

Your right cheddarboy, you know this little girl and everything about her. Keep on being mean.

[cheddarboy82]

It''s not being heartless, what 8 year old mistakes magnets for candy ? I''m guessing the A''s and B''s came from her special education class. Otherwise *** ?? Didn''t she realize after one magnet, geez, this doesn''t taste like candy but I''ll swallow 29 more...seriously, *** ?

[xo8_05]

Haley was adopted and ever since she was in the orphanage she has been eating things she shouldn''t. She has been evaluated and the doctors are certain that she is just a normal (very intelligent) child that for some odd reason likes to eat things.

I am just sick of people making fun of her because she is different. Good lord, the kid is 8, leave her alone already. How would you all feel if someone was calling your 8 year old retarded?

[bobnjersey]

[I know this family and I think you all are being cruel and heartless. Her family would never tell her to swallow these items. They are not after money, they just want to make sure this doesn''''t happen to anyone elses child.]
[Posted by bbbirk at 01:13 PM : Jun 04, 2008]

since you know the family ... the big question that you may be able to answer is how/why the girl ended up eating 30 small items that were clearly not candy.

the best way to make sure that it doesn''t happen to another''s child is to know how she managed to get into that situation in the first place.

[xo8_05]

I know this family and I think you all are being cruel and heartless. Her family would never tell her to swallow these items. They love this little girl and for you all to call her retarded and make fun of her family is utterly ridiculous. You should all be ashamed of yourselves.

Flangesqueal- I don''t know what makes you an expert on Indiana, but we are not anything like what you have said.

gopsoccermom- Daycare is not the problem with society today. Working moms are not the problem with society, it''s idiots like you that want to blame someone else. I work full time and my kids are loved by their caregiver.

My point is that none of you know this family and what they have went through. They are not after money, they just want to make sure this doesn''t happen to anyone elses child. But, I guess all your kids are perfect and would never do this anyway, right? Keep lying to yourselves.