When one mom from Brazil dropped her 4-month-old baby Emanuelle Calheiros Maciel off at daycare, she never would have guessed it was the last time she would see her baby alive. The mom was only going to be gone for two hours, but what happened during that time was tragic.

Deep sleep

An hour after the mom left her daughter at the daycare, she received a photo from the employees holding her baby, saying she was doing just fine.

As soon as the mom arrived at the school to get her daughter, one of the employees informed her that Emanuelle was in a very deep sleep. The mother ran to her daughter, but realized it was too late - her baby was already purple.

Walking to the hospital

The child's uncle told G1 that the nursery couldn't call an ambulance, so they had to walk to the hospital, which was two blocks away. When they arrived, the doctors did everything they could, but the sweet baby was already dead.

He also told the news station that the mother took an anti-reflux pillow to the daycare for the baby, but when they saw the crib, they noticed the pillow wasn't being used. They later found out the daycare didn't even have a license to be in business.

What happened?

The Medical Legal Institute of Campinas figured out that baby Emanuelle was a victim of food suffocation.

According to G1, the mass of food was quite large and blocked the child's airway. However, the only thing the daycare workers told the mom was that the baby wouldn't take her bottle. The Civil Police recorded it as a "suspicious death."

What is bronchoaspiration?

Bronchoaspiration is when a person inhales food, stomach acid or saliva into their lungs. It can cause suffocation and pneumonia. The foreign fluid or mass may contain bacteria that affect the lung.

Symptoms usually occur within two hours of inhalation:

• Wheezing

• Breathing noise

• Vomiting

• Sore throat

• Chest discomfort

• Night fevers

• Chronic cough

• Excessive salivation

What to do when your baby chokes

BabyCenter reports symptoms of a choking baby:

• Bluish or purplish skin

• Hard time breathing

• Loss of consciousness

If your child is coughing or vomiting, that's a good sign. This means the airways aren't fully blocked, and coughing or vomiting is the most effective way to clear the airways.

If your baby chokes, call 911. While you're waiting for them to arrive, here are a few things you can do:

• Lean the baby forward and pat him on the back with an open hand

• Put the baby on its back and do chest compressions

• If the baby is still choking, repeat

_This article was adapted and translated from the original, Bebê de 4 meses morre no 1º dia em creche e IML revela a triste causa da morte, which was originally published on familia.com.br