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Giovanni Lopez, 47, Dies After Choking on Panettone in Settimo Torinese on Christmas Eve

Officials classified the death as accidental suffocation, sharpening public attention on choking risks.

Overview

  • Lopez collapsed at his parents' home in the Borgo Nuovo neighborhood around 2:30 p.m., after a bite of panettone blocked his airway.
  • Relatives called 112 and attempted to clear his airway before emergency responders arrived.
  • Paramedics from the 118 found him unconscious and in cardiorespiratory arrest and were unable to revive him.
  • Carabinieri and a forensic doctor attended the scene, and investigators excluded third‑party responsibility.
  • ISTAT data cite airway obstruction as a leading cause of accidental death among very young children, fueling growth in Heimlich and pediatric disobstruction courses.