Tuesday, June 3, 2008

Marble Madness

The parents of Haley Lents, an 8-year-old southern Indiana girl, who swallowed 20 marble-size steel balls and half as many magnets from her Magnetix Magna Case set want the toy completely removed from stores.

She was taken to the emergency room for stomach pains, and an X-ray revealed the force from the magnets had torn her intestines in eight places.

Doctors told Haley's parents her intestines looked like they had been punctured by eight gunshot wounds or stab-like holes.

Jason Lents, Haley's father, told the Early Show he and his wife were in the same room as Haley when she ate the toy parts, but did not realize she had done so.

Mega Brands recalled about 2.4 million of the Chinese-made toys in March because the small magnets could fall out.

The recall said more than one magnet, if swallowed, could attach to each other and cause intestinal perforation, infection or blockage, which can be fatal.

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