Birthday horror! 3-year-old swallows metal wires hidden in cake decorations in Mumbai

A three-year-old boy in Thane near Mumbai narrowly escaped injury after accidentally swallowing two metal wires hidden inside the decorative elements of his birthday cake, prompting his family to raise concerns about food safety and the use of non-edible materials in cakes.

The incident occurred on May 31 during an early birthday celebration for Reyaansh. His family had ordered a bowling-themed cake from a local bakery so relatives could attend the gathering on a Sunday. Excited by the cake's golden bowling pin decorations, the toddler began eating it before anyone realized the decorative pieces contained metal supports.

According to the family, the bakery had not informed them that thin metal wires had been inserted inside the decorative bowling pins to provide structural support. The hidden wires came to light only after two older children biting into the cake felt something hard. When the family contacted the baker, they were reportedly told that metal wires had indeed been used in the decorations. By that time, Reyaansh had already swallowed two of them.


Alarmed, the family rushed the child to Jupiter Hospital in Thane. An X-ray examination revealed that the wires had reached his small intestine. Doctors chose to monitor the situation closely rather than perform immediate surgery, as the objects appeared to be moving through the digestive tract without causing damage.

Fortunately, the metal wires passed naturally from the child's body within 48 hours, and he did not suffer any internal injuries. The boy is now stable and recovering well, according to the family.

Following the incident, Reyaansh's mother, Sneha Shelar, shared the family's experience on social media to warn other parents. In her posts, she urged bakeries to clearly disclose the use of any non-edible materials in cake decorations and advised parents to carefully inspect decorative cakes before serving them to children.

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A post shared by Sneha | The Teacher Mama (@reyaanshandmama)

"What happened to Reyaansh should never happen to your child," she wrote on Instagram, describing the 48-hour wait for the wires to pass as the most frightening period of her life.

No police complaint has been filed in connection with the incident. However, the episode has sparked discussion online about transparency in food preparation and the need for clearer warnings when cakes contain non-edible support materials that could pose a risk, especially to young children.

Commenting on the post, one person wrote, "Im a baker myself and this breaks my heart!!! I agree you should have been informed in advance about the metal wires inside the cake (unavoidable in case of fondant toppers/floral decorations)
I too use wires for my orders but make it a point to inform the client about them during pickup. There are centre dowels for extra support for tiered cakes as well but client is always informed. And I absolutely believe it is the responsibility of the baker to inform the client beforehand to avoid any mishaps because not everybody is aware about these things.
Hope your son recovers soon!!!"

Another hailed her for not pressing charges against the bakery, saying, "It's nice of you to spare the baker/bakery. Mistake happens, and we are all human. Thankfully, your kid is safe, and you saved a business, and families as well. This act of kindness will take you places. Don't regret for being nice to others."