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Eryl Crump & Neil Shaw

Woman choked on marshmallow copying Love Island challenge

A 30-year-old disabled woman choked to death on a marshmallow trying to copy a challenge from reality TV show Love Island.

Mia Louise Austin died at Warren holiday park in Abersoch, Wales on June 26 this year.

She was two days away from being named woman of the year for her charity work.

Mia was already unable to move or speak at the time of her death after suffering a stroke 10 years ago.

She communicated with a computer tracking her eye movements, and could swallow but only ate soft food,  NorthWalesLive reports .

Despite that Mia had travelled the world and wrote a book.

While on holiday last year Mia told her mum Carol Ann Austin and a carer that she wanted marshmallows after watching Love Island.

She had one marshmallow placed in her mouth, but choked on the sweet, passed out and died, despite the efforts of those with her in the chalet, park staff and paramedics.

Pathologist Dr Mohammed Aslam said Ms Austin's death was due to asphyxia with her condition noted as a contributory factor.

Her mother told the inquest her daughter was fed a liquid diet, but had progressed to eating soft food.

She said there had been previous choking incidents, including another at the holiday park when she choked on a burger.

Paramedics had been called and the family had been given suction equipment to assist.

Mrs Austin said consultants had warned the family to be careful while her daughter was eating.

Recording a verdict of accidental death, North Wales senior coroner Dewi Pritchard Jones said: "She wanted some marshmallows and one was later put in her mouth," he said.

"This caused a blockage in her airway and, as she was unable to bring it up, it caused asphyxiation."

Ms Austin, from Bebington in Merseyside, suffered a stroke 10 years ago despite being healthy at the time.

Despite being told whe would not survive, Mia went on to travel the world and wrote a book.

She died two days before she was named Merseyside Woman of 2019 for her charity work.

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