A mother of two choked to death after eating dozens of marshmallows at a fundraiserfor her son’s rugby club, according to a coroner’s court hearing in Wales on Wednesday, Sept. 11.
Natalie Buss, 37, was participating in a contest to “fit the most marshmallows” into her mouth when she collapsed and died at Beddau Rugby Football Club in October 2023, according to a pre-inquest hearing in the town of Pontypridd.
Buss’ eldest son, who was a member of the club, had been called onstage by DJ and children’s entertainment Christopher Gibbons, 34, to take part in the 60-second competition. After swallowing dozens of pink and white marshmallows, she is said to have left the stage and collapsed in a corridor, officials reportedly said in the pre-inquest.
An off-duty nurse and other guests tried to help Buss by using a defibrillator from a nearby school. Paramedics also arrived on scene but were unable to save Buss.
Pontypridd coroners’ court was informed that Gibbons, who was interviewed by law enforcement, had over 15 years of experience as a DJ and entertainer and had hosted hundreds of similar parties.
Assistant coroner for South Wales Gavin Knox said the inquest would “focus on risk assessment and risk mitigation relating to the game,” by assessing what happened, cause of death and the “appropriateness” of the club’s entertainment.
In a Facebook statement posted at the time, Beddau Rugby Football Club said the community was “heartbroken” by the incident.
“On Saturday night we lost a very dear friend who will be sadly missed. Everybody associated with Beddau RFC and within the community are nothing less than devastated at the weekend’s tragic accident and we struggle to comprehend the sense of loss people are feeling,” they added, as reported by Wales Online.
“That said we must acknowledge that our loss pales into insignificance in comparison to the loss of a lady who was a wonderful wife, mother, and daughter to what was an absolutely tragic turn of events. As a club we send out our sincerest, heartfelt condolences to all the family, the close friends, and to all those that this has so badly impacted.”
