10-month-old dies after choking on pine cone at NC daycare

RALEIGH, N.C. — A North Carolina grandmother is pushing for answers after her 10-month-old grandson choked to death on a pine cone at daycare.

[Sheriff: 'How do you put a dead child in a garbage bag and throw it away?']

According to authorities, the incident happened just before 11 a.m. Wednesday at the A Hug A Day Daycare, which is run out of a home on Adcox Place.

Helena Harris told our news partners at WTVD that she dropped her grandson, Areon Ellington, off in the morning, but a few hours later, she got a phone call.

"The day care lady called me and told me that I needed to get to the daycare because Areon was choking on something," Harris said.

Harris said she is heartbroken and left with many questions.

"He was my heart, my heart. He was our get up and go," she said. "He was, through our struggles, what was bonding us together."

[ALSO READ: Jurors convict dad in under an hour in baby's diaper rash death]

According to the Division of Child Development and Early Education, there have been violations at the day care in the past, including hazardous items found on the property, health assessment filing issues and daily schedules not being maintained.

Aeron's death was ruled accidental.

Cox Media Group