By Michael Morton
The accident that took Deonte Riley's life occurred at the Sunrise Multiplex Cinemas in Valley Stream, L.I., where the youngster's parents, Eddie Riley and Elaine McIntosh, took the 3-year-old and his 13-year-old brother, Eddie Jr., to see “Alien vs. Predator.”When they realized that their son was choking, McIntosh and her husband took Deonte out of the theater and attempted the Heimlich maneuver, police said. Their efforts failed as did those of officers arriving from Nassau County's Fifth Precinct, who tried CPR and attempted to clear the victim's airway, police said. A Police Department ambulance took Deonte to Mercy Medical Center in Rockville Centre, where he was pronounced dead at 7:48 p.m.Homicide detectives investigated the incident, a standard procedure in Nassau County for all deaths, but police said they are considering the choking an accident, pending a medical examiner's report. Deonte's body was taken to the morgue at Nassau University Medical Center until the examination could be done.Popcorn is listed by the American Academy of Pediatrics on its Web site as a choking hazard for children younger than 4 years old, because the food is round and can get stuck in a youngster's narrow windpipe. Choking occurs when food gets caught in the throat and blocks the airway, leading to possible brain damage or death if the deprivation lasts more than four minutes.As of Tuesday the child's parents could not be reached for comment.McIntosh and her family moved into the Briarwood Family Residence, run by the Salvation Army, after she lost her job last year as a city special education teacher, leaving her and her husband unable to pay the rent. They decided to take their sons to the movie theater Sunday to celebrate a new job for Riley as a security guard.McIntosh told Newsday that popcorn was one of Deonte's favorite foods and that she realized too late that it was an unsafe snack. She wanted other parents not to make the same mistake.”That's the message I want to put out there,” she told the paper.Reach reporter Michael Morton by e-mail at news@timesledger.com or by calling 718-229-0300, Ext. 154.
