Three-year-old swallows metal pins hidden in birthday cake decorations in Maharashtra
A three-year-old boy named Reyaansh swallowed two metal wires concealed inside chocolate bowling pin decorations on his birthday cake in Thane, near Mumbai. The wires, used by the bakery as internal scaffolding, were not disclosed to the family despite them ordering the cake for a toddler. The child passed the wires naturally within 48 hours, but the incident has raised concerns about undisclosed non-edible materials in cake decorations.
On May 31, a Thane family celebrated the eve of their son Reyaansh's third birthday with a Spiderman-themed bowling alley cake ordered from a local bakery. Unknown to the family, the decorative chocolate bowling pins each contained thin metal wires used as internal supports — a fact the bakery did not disclose at the time of ordering or delivery. The danger was discovered only after older children bit into the decorations and felt something hard; by then, Reyaansh had already swallowed two of the wires. An X-ray at Jupiter Hospital confirmed the wires were lodged in his small intestine, as shown in images shared by the family. Doctors advised against surgery and monitored the child, and the wires passed naturally within 48 hours without causing injury. The boy's mother, Sneha Shelar, shared the ordeal on social media — garnering over 41,000 views — and urged both bakeries to disclose non-edible materials and parents to inspect cake decorations before serving them to young children. The family approached police, who directed them to the Food and Drug Administration, though FDA officials said they could not act without a physical sample of the cake.
What's missing
The specific type of metal used in the wires — relevant to assessing toxicity risk — was not reported by either source.
How coverage differed
Both outlets reported the core facts consistently. The Times of India provided additional legal and regulatory context, including commentary from a consumer rights body about potential liability under the Consumer Protection Act, while NDTV focused more narrowly on the incident itself and noted that no police complaint had been filed.
What different sources said
- Times of IndiaCenter
Birthday cake nightmare: Maharashtra 3-year-old swallows 2 hidden metal pins
- NDTVCenter
3-Year-Old Swallows 2 Metal Wires Hidden In Birthday Cake Near Mumbai
Related
Chicago Woman's Five-Year Symptom Journey Leads to Rare Brain Tumor Diagnosis
Melony Aponte, 26, was diagnosed with a 4.5-centimeter acoustic neuroma after five years of symptoms she attributed to stress, COVID-19, and aging. The rare, noncancerous tumor—affecting roughly one in 100,000 people—had grown large enough to compress her hearing and balance nerve before it was identified via MRI in March 2025. Her case highlights how acoustic neuroma symptoms can mimic common conditions, potentially delaying diagnosis for years.
Study Finds Aging Shifts Walking Strategy Toward Stability at the Cost of Efficiency
A new study from Flinders University and the University of Canberra found that as people age, their bodies adopt a 'safety-first' walking pattern that prioritizes balance over efficient movement. Researchers analyzed gait data from 107 healthy adults aged 26 to 86, identifying increased ankle muscle co-contraction and reduced push-off power as key age-related changes. The findings suggest that fall prevention programs should target balance and coordination, not just muscle strength.
Tick Populations Surge in Urban Areas Across Northeast
Experts across the northeastern United States and Canada are warning of an unusually early and widespread tick season, with disease-carrying ticks increasingly found in urban parks and green spaces. Lyme disease cases in Canada reached a record 7,105 in 2025, up from 5,809 the previous year, while U.S. cities including Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Washington D.C., and New York are reporting rising tick activity. The expansion poses a public health challenge because urban residents are less likely to take tick-bite precautions than those in rural areas.