Mum fears baby scarred for life after dramatic laundry pod accident

Rosie Stewart claims her tot Amias Vitorino was screaming and crying while wearing the sleepsuit but she put it down to him simply being 'off'.

After tending to the 11-month-old twice throughout the night on October 5, Rosie got up with him at 5am in a desperate bid to soothe him.

It was only as she took his babygrow off that she noticed the sleeve sticking to his right arm and, once off, it was then she spotted the angry two-inch mark on his inner elbow.

On closer inspection the 31-year-old spotted a grease-like mark on the inside of his babygrow (Image: Kennedy News and Media) On closer inspection the 31-year-old spotted a grease-like mark on the inside of his babygrow the exact same size and shape as the burn - with a pungent detergent smell, which she put down to a Fairy non bio pod not fully dissolving in the wash.

Horrified by her discovery the store manager rushed him to hospital where doctors rinsed his arm to remove all traces of the chemical and monitored his vitals throughout the day.

Days later the wound finally scabbed over, leaving a red mark on his arm.

Now the mum-of-four, who said she felt guilty for not realising something was wrong sooner, claims she'll no longer buy the Fairy non bio pods, for fear it could happen again.

Fairy Non-Bio's own packaging features a glaring red 'corrosive' warning symbol, states to keep out of reach of children and states 'danger: causes serious eye damage'.

Fairy Non-Bio manufacturers Procter and Gamble said they were 'very sorry to hear about the family's experience' and encouraged Rosie to get in touch so they could investigate thoroughly.

Rosie, from Preston, Lancashire, said: "I picked him up from the childminders then started doing our normal night-time routine.

"I was getting him some food, bathed and ready for bed. I got a vest and a fresh babygrow, off the washing pile, and not thinking anything of it or noticing anything was on it put it on him.

"He normally sleeps through, he's normally fine, but he kept waking up crying and screaming.

"He was agitated and wouldn't settle, I knew something was off with him but didn't know what it was.

"I went to change his nappy and when I've come to take his arm out of the babygrow it was like it was almost stuck on his arm, where the mark is on his babygrow.

"It didn't click at first that it was the babygrow until I turned it inside out, smelled it and there was a strong smell of the washing pod.

"Then I put it side by side where the mark was and it was exactly the same mark as what was imprinted onto his arm.

"That greasy-looking stain is the pod that's not fully dissolved and then gone on his skin and burned him.

"I felt dead guilty. It's not something you expect to see and because I left it so long and not realised, that's why I felt guilty."

Horrified at the burn on Amias's arm, Rosie rushed him to Royal Preston Hospital's A&E department in Preston, Lancashire, where doctors rinsed the burn and monitored him throughout the day.

Fairy non bio pods advertising boasts that 'Fairy capsules provide outstanding cleaning & care for sensitive skin'.

However a warning on the back of the packaging reads: "Please note that no effective laundry detergent can be guaranteed suitable for people with serious skin conditions. If you suffer from unusually sensitive skin, please contact your doctor for advice."

Rosie, who did her washing at 60 degrees, has vowed not to buy Fairy products again for fear it could happen again.

Rosie said: "I've bought Fairy non bio before. You pick it because it's targeted as being for babies, that's what's said is best.

"I'm furious it did this to him. It's not out there enough that this could happen.

"It says from 20 degrees they should dissolve.

"My mother-in-law has written a letter and email to Fairy, we've not heard anything back yet.

"I'd definitely not buy these again, I'm totally put off."

Fairy Non-Bio manufacturers Procter and Gamble said that their pods are safely used in millions of homes every day and they comply with all UK regulations including safety and ingredients.

They pointed out that the dissolution of any laundry product can vary depending on how they are used.

These include: pod placement (the pod should always be placed at the bottom of an empty drum, before laundry is added) volume load and setting. Their on-pack instructions give consumers the information needed to ensure full dissolution.

A spokesman for Fairy Non-Bio manufacturers Procter and Gamble said: "We are very sorry to hear about the family's experience.

"We care deeply about those who use our products, in fact nothing is more important to us than their safety and wellbeing. 

"Given we have no record of contact regarding this incident, we would encourage the family to call us directly using the freephone details on pack so we can better understand the situation and investigate accordingly."