Four-year-old Kache Wallis. Photo credit: Hurricane City PD
HURRICANE, Utah — A 4-year-old boy who was reported missing from his home in Hurricane on Sunday morning, and who was later found dead in his home, died by positional asphyxiation.
The Hurricane Police Department said that Kache Wallis was reported missing by his grandmother, who had put him to bed on Saturday but could not find him the next morning.
The boy was not found in an initial search of the neighborhood. He was ultimately found inside the house, inside a small toy chest in his bedroom. The Utah Medical Examiner’s office said the death was an accident and that he suffocated while stuck inside the box.
According to the Utah Department of Health, positional asphyxia occurs when a person can’t get enough air to breathe due to the positioning of their body.
Simone Seikaly contributed.