What could possibly be more innocent than a bag of popcorn? It is a treat that makes movie nights epic and kids seem to love eating one crunchy bite after another. What most people don’t know is that there are hidden dangers in the popcorn bowl. Unfortunately, one family found out after it was too late and they are trying to warn others.

Mirranda Grace Lawson, from Fauquier County, Virginia began choking on a popcorn kernel on May 11, 2016. She was only 2 years old. Alison, her mom, was celebrating her birthday at home with her husband, Patrick and their four children. Patrick surprised his wife by taking the day off and the family was busy celebrating.

Their relatives started a GoFundMe page for the family. They said the following on the page: “At the end of Alison’s birthday, Mirranda ran into the living room. Eyes huge, no sound. Time stopped. Those were the last moments they shared before Mirranda fell to the ground; they swept her mouth, nothing; Pat started CPR. The ambulance got there, Mirranda’s heart stopped.”

Mirranda has gotten a piece of popcorn lodged in her windpipe and couldn’t breathe.

“Then … there was hope. Mirranda’s heart started beating, she was intubated and placed on a ventilator and transferred to Children’s Hospital at VCU.”

Doctors had declared her brain dead and wanted to do an apnea test. It would require the family to agree to take her off life support to see if she could breathe on her own.

NBC reported that the parents thought that their daughter needed more time to recover and fought the decision. After some weeks had passed, the judge gave the green light to the hospital to do the test. The family appealed but during the appeal, their daughter passed away.

An update was posted to the GoFundMe page: “This journey has been so very unexpected and difficult. Mirranda fought strong and in the end, God chose to call his angel back home in early November. Although her time on earth was short, she made a difference in the lives of many. Sharing her story with other families has help raise awareness about the surprising choking hazards that surround us every day. Many of you shared her story, and likely saved a life.”

Choking is included in the three main causes of the death of children under the age of 3.

Mayo Clinic offers the following tips to prevent an infant from choking:

Properly time the introduction of solid foods. Introducing your baby to solid foods before he or she has the motor skills to swallow them can lead to infant choking. Wait until your baby is at least 4 months old to introduce pureed solid foods.

Don’t offer high-risk foods. Don’t give babies or young children hot dogs, chunks of meat or cheese, grapes, raw vegetables, or fruit chunks, unless they’re cut up into small pieces. Don’t give babies or young children hard foods, such as seeds, nuts, popcorn, and hard candy, which can’t be changed to make them safe options. Other high-risk foods include peanut butter, marshmallows, and chewing gum.

Supervise mealtime. As your child gets older, don’t allow him or her to play, walk, or run while eating. Remind your child to chew and swallow his or her food before talking. Don’t allow your child to throw food in the air and catch it in his or her mouth or stuff large amounts of food in his or her mouth.

Carefully evaluate your child’s toys. Don’t allow your baby or toddler to play with latex balloons – which pose a hazard when uninflated and broken – small balls, marbles, toys that contain small parts or toys meant for older children. Look for age guidelines when buying toys and regularly examine toys to make sure they’re in good condition.

Keep hazardous objects out of reach. Common household items that might pose a choking hazard include coins, button batteries, dice, and pen caps.

You should also consider taking a CPR class to be prepared in the event of an emergency. All caregivers for your child should also be encouraged to have the training.