Illinois boy, 7, nearly dies after touching poisonous weeds in his backyard: ‘I couldn’t breathe’

An Illinois boy suffered anaphylactic shock and nearly died when he touched a poisonous weed while doing yard work with his family, reports said.

Rayden Vollrath, 7, was helping his stepmom and father clear his family’s Pike County property when he pulled out pokeweeds, a highly toxic plant known for its purple berries.

“Long story short, he came in contact with pokeweed and the milk from the stalk got on his nails, I’m guessing or some sort,” his mother, Danielle Carnicelli, told WGEM.

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“He went to scratch his face and then ended up having an allergic reaction and then progressed to anaphylactic shock,” he added.

Ryan’s face and arms began swelling, with the burning sensations taking over as the 7-year-old struggled to breath, leading him to be hospitalized for two days.