MOTHER WARNS PARENTS OF THE POSSIBLE DANGER SURROUNDING A TOY AFTER HER 14 MONTH OLD ENDS UP IN THE ICU. THANKS FOR JOINING US. I’M JULIE CORNELL. I’M ROB MCCARTNEY. THE WOMAN SAYS HER DAUGHTER WAS THROWING UP FOR DAYS, UNABLE TO KEEP ANYTHING DOWN AS KETV NEWSWATCH SEVEN. SEAN MCKINNON REPORTS. AN EMERGENCY SURGERY REVEALED THE TOY BEHIND THIS MYSTERY ILLNESS. HE INVESTIGATES TONIGHT. THE THE U-S CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION HAS RECEIVED DOZENS OF REPORTS OVER THE YEARS OF KIDS BEING HURT BY WATER BEADS. THAT’S BECAUSE THEY CONTAIN A SUPER ABSORBENT SUBSTANCE THAT CAN EXPAND TO HUNDREDS OF TIMES THEIR ORIGINAL SIZE WHEN EXPOSED TO WATER LIKE IF SWALLOWED. LAST WEEK, IOWA MOTHER HANNAH REIFF AND HER HAPPY, HEALTHY FAMILY OF FIVE, INCLUDING 14 MONTH OLD LETI, WENT OUT FOR SUSHI. SHE LOVES AVOCADO AND RICE, AND THAT WAS JUST THE PERFECT MEAL FOR HER. AND SHE WAS SO HAPPY AND IT JUST CHANGED SO FAST. THE NEXT DAY, LETI COULDN’T STOP THROWING UP. SHE JUST KEPT VOMITING OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN. LIKE I’M TALKING EVERY 30 MINUTES. AND I KNEW SOMETHING WAS WRONG AFTER BEING TOLD IT WAS A VIRAL INFECTION BY HER LOCAL E.R., SHE WAS TRANSFERRED TO CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL. I KEPT TELLING THEM THAT SHE SWALLOWED SOMETHING AND THEY SAID, NO, NOTHING IS SHOWING UP ON THE SCANS. NOTHING IS IN THERE. IT’S NOT A FOREIGN OBJECT. AND I WAS LIKE, I JUST I’M NOT CONVINCED. CALL IT A MOTHER’S INTUITION CONFIRMED BY A SURGEON’S DIFFICULT CALL. HE’S LIKE, NO, THERE’S NO POINT IN TAKING ANOTHER X-RAY. THERE’S NO POINT IN WAITING. SHE NEEDS WE’RE GOING TO DO EXPLORATORY AND WE’RE GOING TO FIND OUT WHAT IT IS. THAT’S WHEN DOCTORS DISCOVERED A TINY TOY, A WATER BEAD EXPANDING INSIDE HER SMALL INTESTINE, BLOCKING IT AND BEGINNING TO TEAR. SHE COULD HAVE RUPTURED AND IT COULD HAVE BEEN SEPTIC AND SHE COULD HAVE DIED. REEVES SAYS SHE VACUUMED UP THE BEADS TWO YEARS AGO, BUT ONE MUST HAVE ESCAPED AND SHE WAS PLAYING. AND THAT’S WHERE SHE MUST HAVE FOUND ONE IN THE CARPET. AND OUR LITTLE PINCHERS JUST PICKED IT UP. AND THEN IT IT LITERALLY GREW INSIDE OF HER INVESTIGATES PLACE THE BEADS AND WATER. LOOK HOW MUCH IT ABSORBS AND GROWS IN JUST ONE HOUR. THESE THINGS ARE EVERYWHERE. I HAVE SO MANY FRIENDS AND FAMILY THAT HAVE MESSAGED ME THAT SAID I HAVE I HAVE THOSE IN MY HOUSE, BUT THOSE ARE SITTING ON MY KITCHEN TABLE RIGHT NOW. PEDIATRIC SURGEON DR. ANGELA HANNA WAS PART OF THE TEAM THAT CARED FOR LETI. SHE SAYS THE MATERIAL OF THE WATER BEAD DOESN’T SHOW UP ON X-RAY OR ULTRASOUND. AND SO IT JUST LOOKS LIKE FLUID WHEN WE’RE LOOKING AT IT WITH ANY OF OUR IMAGING DEVICES. AND SO IT BLENDS IN WITH THE SURROUNDING FLUID OF THE INTESTINES. HANNAH’S MESSAGE TO PARENTS KEEP ANYTHING SMALL OUT OF REACH. AGAIN, JUST TO KEEP AN EYE ON THE LITTLE ONES AND THINGS THAT THEY LOVE TO GRAB AND PUT IN THEIR MOUTH AND REEFS REMINDING MOMS THEY KNOW THEIR CHILD BEST. ALL THE MOTHERS OUT THERE PROBABLY KNOW EXACTLY WHAT I’M TALKING ABOUT. IT’S JUST SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, AND YOU’RE IN YOUR HEART AND IN YOUR GUT. WITH LETI NO LONGER ON MORPHINE REEF IS JUST READY TO GET HER BABY OUT OF THE ICU. OH, I CAN’T WAIT. I CAN’T WAIT. SHE IS THE MOST LOVING, HAPPY BABY. I THINK SHE’LL BE OKAY. SO I’M JUST. YEAH, READY TO GO HOME AGAIN. REEVES SAYS LETI IS GOING TO BE