Doctors are urgently working to save the life of a baby girl, hailed as a ‘miracle,’ who sustained severe brain damage after choking on a piece of fruit.
One-year-old Emanuelly Rodrigues suffered cardiac arrest and required resuscitation upon reaching the hospital.
Due to oxygen deprivation lasting around 30 minutes, she was intubated and placed in a medically induced coma for over a week.
Currently, Emanuelly is blind, unable to walk or speak, and relies on a feeding tube.
The incident occurred during a trip to London from Brazil, where she had been staying with her parents, Wanessa and Luiz, and her older sister, Isabela, for the past four months.
Unfortunately, Emanuelly cannot access the urgent medical care she needs because her family is ‘stranded’ in the UK on a tourist visa without valid medical insurance. This information is detailed on a GoFundMe page created by a family friend to support her healthcare expenses.
The one-year-old began choking on a strawberry while being looked after by a babysitter on February 3.
The babysitter ‘made attempts to dislodge the obstruction, unfortunately without success’ before ‘running into the street asking for help’ when a passing student doctor dashed over to help.
One-year-old Emanuelly Rodrigues suffered ‘devastating’ brain damage after choking on a strawberry on February 3
She was put into an induced coma for eight days after medics resuscitated her – and has now been in hospital for the past 41 days
Emanuelly was rushed to Watford General Hospital where medics performed CPR and resuscitated her before she was put into the coma.
Her father, Luiz Rodrigues, 23, told the Daily Mail: ‘Emanuelly choked on a strawberry, (the babysitter) tried to dislodge it without success, (and then) ran into the street asking for help.
‘A medical student who was passing by picked Emanuelly up and ran to the hospital. They began the process to clear her airways and perform CPR. It took about 30 minutes until they managed to resuscitate her.
‘Soon after, she was intubated and transferred to St Mary’s Hospital where she remained in an induced coma for eight days.
‘After that she was transferred again to Watford hospital where she is currently receiving constant care, waiting for a hospital to begin neuro-rehabilitation which isn’t being offered.
‘She is having considerable difficulty breathing. She cannot sit, walk, speak, or make voluntary movements, and she is blind. She cries a lot and is fed only through a feeding tube.’
Emanuelly is being given anticonvulsant medication, which prevent or reduce the severity of epileptic fits, as well as sedatives and painkillers.
Mr Rodrigues said Emanuelly also ‘presents with’ dystonia – uncontrolled and sometimes painful muscle movements (spasms) – and muscle rigidity.
The one-year-old is now blind, unable to walk or talk and is fed through a tube after suffering a brain injury
She is now fed through a tube and has experienced high fevers and seizures – but her parents have been left ‘stranded’ in the UK on tourist visas without valid medical insurance
He told the Mail: ‘Wanessa is constantly by Emanuelly’s side. These are very difficult, worrying, and very sad days, with no solutions being found. We feel anguish, despair and fear.
‘She is a very special child, very intelligent, and loves playing with her older sister. She enjoys watching cartoons and loved visiting the parks in the United Kingdom.
‘Her situation is very delicate due to the severity of the injury, she may suffer serious permanent damage.
‘Currently, she is stable, but everything can change, but we believe she will be fine, she just needs treatment and time to recover. She is a warrior and a miracle.’
Emanuelly has been in hospital for more than a month.
Family friend Heidi Dunn, 32, has now set up fundraiser for £16,000 to get Emanuelly the healthcare she needs in the UK as the one-year-old is not fit to fly on a commercial flight and an air ambulance costs ‘far beyond anything the family could afford’.
The specialist treatment Emanuelly needs is also not easily accessible where her family live in Brazil, according to Ms Dunn.
She said the Brazilian consulate has also been unable to help, with the one-year-old parents feeling they have been ‘left in the middle of all this waiting for appropriate treatment’.
Mother Wanessa Rodrigues, 20, is ‘constantly by Emanuelly’s side. Pictured: Mrs Rodrigues with her daughter
Emanuelly’s father, Luiz Rodrigues, 23, said she ‘loves playing with her older sister’ Isabela, who is five. Pictured: Emanuelly and Isabela wearing Father Christmas hats with a camera filter
The family have been advised that if they can obtain a medical letter confirming Emanuelly is not fit to travel on a standard commercial flight, they may be able to apply for a visa extension so she can remain in the UK and receive treatment, according to the fundraising page, which has so far raised more than £4,600.
However, the hospital has not done this, leaving the family in limbo.
Ms Dunn told the Mail: ‘As a parent, seeing them go through such a devastating situation with little support motivated me to set up a GoFundMe to help.’
Her GoFundMe page states: ‘Wanessa and her husband Luiz arrived in London from Brazil in November 2025 with their two daughters, Isabela (5) and Emanuelly (1).
‘What was meant to be a temporary visit has become a medical and personal crisis following a tragic accident involving their baby daughter.
‘On 3 February 2026, while being cared for by a babysitter, Emanuelly choked on a strawberry. Despite immediate attempts to help her, the obstruction could not be cleared. A passing doctor intervened and rushed her to Watford General Hospital, where doctors fought to save her life.
‘Emanuelly suffered a cardiac arrest and required resuscitation. Her brain was without oxygen for approximately 30 minutes, resulting in severe brain injury.
‘She was intubated and found to have significant brain swelling, before being transferred to St Mary’s Hospital in London. She spent seven days in an induced coma and also experienced high fevers and seizures.
Well-wishers have so far raised more than £4,600 towards Emanuelly’s care
Mr Rodrigues described his daughter as ‘a warrior and a miracle’ who ‘enjoys watching cartoons and loved visiting the parks in the United Kingdom’
‘As a result of her injury, Emanuelly now has profound neurological issues. She is unable to walk, speak, or see and is fed through a tube.
‘Doctors have advised that she urgently needs specialist neuro‑rehabilitation treatment to give her any chance of improvement.’
‘At present, Wanessa and Luiz are facing serious barriers to accessing this care. They came to the UK on a tourist visa and do not have valid medical insurance, which means their daughter is not receiving the neuro‑rehabilitation treatment she urgently needs.’
Ms Dunn said donations will help to support the one-year-old’s care, including specialist therapy and rehabilitation, medical equipment and supplies, transport to appointments, basic living expenses, and any legal or professional support needed to explore visas or treatment options.
A spokesperson for Watford General Hospital said: ‘This is a terribly sad and complex situation. We will continue to work with care and compassion with Emanuelly and her parents during what is deeply distressing time for them all.’
A spokesperson for St Mary’s Hospital said: ‘Our thoughts are with the whole family at this most sad and difficult time. Care is now being provided at another hospital, more local to the family.’
