- These straws are more economically safe, but dangerous at the same time.
Metal straws are a way of the future. Well, metal, paper, food-based or anything that isn’t plastic. But this lady fell onto her metal straw and died because of it.
Elena Struthers-Gardner had a mason jar with a screw top lid, and in it, a metal straw. But she fell on November 22nd while she was carrying her cup in Broadstone, Poole, Dorset, and died because of it.
The metal straw was a 10 inches and made of stainless steel. It entered her left eye socket and pierced her brain, causing lethal brain injuries.
Metal straws, along with other more economically friendly options, have become more and more popular. The more of these we use, the less plastic.
But a coroner warned that ‘great care should be taken’ while using metal drinking straws, and they should never be used with a lid that fixes them in place,’ for obvious reasons.
Mandy Struthers-Gardner, Elena’s wife, was at home when the incident happened and was able to call the ambulance right away. But to no avail, Elena die in the hospital the next day.
The straw that entered her brain had damaged her brain stem, which controls breathing. The tip of the pipe came to rest along the back of her skull.
The straw pierced ‘through her left eyelid and left eyeball’ according to Dr. David Parham, who carried out her post-mortem exam. The cause of death was confirmed as traumatic brain injury.
As a child, Mrs Struthers-Gardner was a professional equestrian and suffered a fall at 21 which gave her ongoing mobility issues. This made her prone to falling.
Mandy, her wife of four years, said Elena had multiple fractures in her spine and would collapse ‘like a sack of potatoes at random intervals’.
Metal straws are a way of the future. Well, metal, paper, food-based or anything that is not plastic. But this lady fell onto her metal straw and died because of it.