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Toddler dies after eating detergent packet in Kissimmee

KISSIMMEE, Fla. — Kissimmee police and the Department of Children and Families said Friday a toddler died after ingesting concentrated laundry detergent at a women's shelter.

Officials said the 7-month-old boy was left alone briefly with a basket of laundry that had plastic packets of the detergent, and when the boy's mother returned to the room, he was eating one of the packets.

Police said they responded with firefighters to the unnamed shelter after the mother found the child had awakened in her room and begun eating one of the packets, which was filled with highly concentrated detergent.

The child was rushed to the hospital, but could not be saved.

The packets reportedly came from the shelter itself, a donated item given to shelter residents to use.

The Department of Children and Families released a statement concerning the matter.

"It reminds all of us as parents the dangers of leaving household cleaning supplies around our little ones," the statement read. "We have had prior history with this family and at this time our investigation is open and ongoing. We continue to work with law enforcement as the investigation moves forward into the circumstances surrounding the poisoning."

Kissimmee police said there is nothing criminal that would warrant charges and the medical examiner's office is still awaiting test results to confirm the cause of death.

Investigators said toxicology tests are being done to determine whether the detergent is what killed the child.