Joshua died on his eighth birthday after inhaling a helium balloon, and his parents said they are now campaigning to stop the same tragedy from happening to another family.
Carly and Jamie Dunbar appeared on This Morning on Tuesday, 20 May 2024, to speak publicly about the death of their son, who was found unresponsive in his bedroom at the family home in Birkenhead on 27 April 2024. A post-mortem examination later found that Joshua’s death was consistent with asphyxia involving a helium balloon.
Carly said Joshua had gone upstairs with the balloon and was calm when she checked on him. Jamie said he later found the 8-year-old lying down with the balloon over his head and had to rip it off him. Carly said she ran outside screaming for help, while paramedics worked on Joshua inside the house before the air ambulance came.
The family’s account lays bare how quickly the day turned from a birthday into an emergency. Joshua had been at home in Birkenhead when the balloon became part of a chain of events his parents now describe as the most tragic of accidents.
Jamie and Carly are spearheading a campaign to ban the sale of helium balloons, arguing that the danger is not always obvious until it is too late. Jamie said they want to get the message and the awareness out there, and that even if a ban does not follow, people should understand the risk before putting balloons ahead of children’s birthdays and celebrations.
For the Dunbars, the public campaign is now tied to the worst moment of their lives. Carly said the pain remains as raw as when she heard Jamie scream, and the couple’s decision to speak out suggests they believe the only way to honor Joshua is to make sure other parents hear the warning before they buy a balloon.
