Charlie Smith
A BRITISH family has revealed the daily health complications of their six-year-old boy after an arcade machine fell on him and paralysed his face during a holiday to Spain.
A six foot darts machine at the Aparthotel Costa Encantada fell on Oscar Donnelly, pinning him to the ground and resulting in a fractured skull and a punctured lung.
The boy’s parents, Luke Donnelly, 30, and Samantha Matthews, 29, from Cardiff have now sued the hotel, in Lloret de Mar, where they were staying.
Their son also developed diabetes insipidus following the accident, a rare disorder, which means the body produces too much urine and can leave sufferers feeling thirsty.
Oscar was also left permanently deaf in one ear and has to take eye drops, because his eyelid has to be taped shut at night.
His father Luke, a welder said: “Before he was a confident and bubbly little boy, but now he gets easily frustrated, tired, confused.”
One of Oscar’s two older brothers saw the shocking incident take place during the family’s 10-day holiday back in September.
His parents then found him covered in blood, before doctors tried to save his life and put him into an induced coma.
Luke added: “He never used to be aggressive at all but now he can become quite angry and lashes out.
It is a constant reminder of what has happened to him.”
The family’s lawyer, Yasmina Villa-Lopez said: “This is an extreme example of a family being severely let down by the people that have a duty of care to deliver a safe environment for them and their children.”
