A Mothers Story Of Her Son Trapped Inside A Sweet Machine
This is a mothers story of panic and fear as her son was trapped inside a claw machine at a restaurant in Perth, Australia. Two year old Cohen Stone somehow managed to climb inside the sweet machine and was unable to get back out.
Perhaps he didn’t climb back out as he just did not want to leave, isn’t it every child’s fantasy to be in a pool of sweets and teddies.
But for the mother the situation was a nightmare and caused a frantic rescue effort at the restaurant where his mother Kyra, 24, had taken him to a birthday party.
Kyra had taken her eyes off the little scamp for just a few seconds then turned to discover Cohen had become one of the prizes to be won among the sweets and soft teddy bears.
Kyra, from Perth in Western Australia, said: ‘I had been playing with him in the children’s area but took my eye off him for two minutes as the food arrived at our table.
Read Cohen’s terrified mother’s report of the incidence.
‘When I turned back, he was inside the machine. My first thought was “Oh my God”.
‘I just couldn’t believe what he had done in that space of time. He was there one minute, inside it the next, like a magician’s trick.
‘At first I wasn’t too stressed. I started to search the back of the machine for a big hole he must have climbed through, then on top of the machine.
‘It was then that I realized he must have climbed through a small hatch where you collect your prize from and got in through that way. It was the only way inside.
‘The hole was tiny. I have no idea how he did it. That’s when I started to panic. I didn’t know how I was going to get him out.’
Customers and even workers – including the chef – at Siena’s restaurant gathered around the toddler in disbelief.
Kyra said: ‘The restaurant owner called his wife to bring keys for the machine, but when she arrived there were no keys that fitted the lock.
‘Then workers phoned the hire company who owned the machine.’
She added: ‘I was trying to keep calm myself and keep Cohen happy. I made up a game where I told him to throw the teddy bears down the chute where he had climbed up and told him he could eat one of the lollies he was sitting on.
‘He was getting very hot from being inside the machine, especially with all the lights.
‘So I got the machine turned off, opened the hatch and was trying to fan him with one of the restaurant’s menus.
‘It was steaming up inside but we eventually got a fan turned on, facing the machine.’
A customer also phoned a local locksmith. He arrived within minutes but didn’t have the right tools with him.
After going back to his workshop, he returned and was able to open the arcade machine door.
Kyra, who works at a country golf club, said: ‘Cohen was in the machine for about 45 minutes but it felt like hours and hours.
‘I phoned my husband Calan but he thought I was joking. He kept asking me to repeat what I was saying. It was only that I was so upset that he realized I was not having him on.
‘Now that it’s all over and he is fine, I can see the funny side.’
She added: ‘I took the video of him when he was calm and after I knew we were able to get him out.
‘I’m glad I took photos now – even though I was panicking at the time. No one believes me until they see the video and it will make a great story for his 21st.’
The restaurant has now removed the claw grabber machine from its premises and given the family a £30 voucher.
Kyra said: ‘I didn’t even get a chance to taste the food. I’ll have to go back to experience it, but this time, I think I’ll leave the children at home.’
Leave a Reply