Buzz
Almost everyone will experience kissing at least once in their lifetime, and often many times over. While it can be a magical and memorable moment, there are instances when it feels awkward or uncomfortable. However, it is typically a harmless act.
Every second, countless individuals around the globe are sharing kisses. With such a common occurrence, it’s no surprise that strange and unexpected events can arise. In rare cases, these kisses can even lead to fatal consequences.
10. Myriam Ducre-Lemay
In October 2012, 20-year-old Myriam Ducre-Lemay went to a party in Montreal with her new boyfriend and later spent the night at his place. As they kissed while getting into bed, Myriam suddenly struggled to breathe. It was later discovered that her boyfriend had eaten a peanut butter sandwich and hadn’t brushed his teeth, unaware of her severe peanut allergy.
With only a malfunctioning inhaler and no EpiPen available, Myriam was rushed to the hospital by ambulance. Despite the ambulance arriving just eight minutes after being called, Myriam succumbed to brain damage caused by lack of oxygen. Her mother has since advocated for allergy sufferers to always carry an EpiPen and wear a Medic Alert bracelet to prevent similar tragedies.
9. Mariana Sifrit
On July 10, 2017, Nicole Kilpatrick and Shane Sifrit celebrated their wedding. This was an especially joyous time for the couple, as their daughter, Mariana, had been born just nine days earlier.
A few hours after the couple exchanged vows and tied the knot, they realized Mariana wouldn’t wake up. Shortly after, she stopped breathing. She was airlifted to the University of Iowa Children’s Hospital, where doctors managed to stabilize her. Tragically, Mariana’s underdeveloped immune system couldn’t fight the infection, and she passed away eight days later.
Mariana was diagnosed with meningitis HSV-1, a viral form of meningitis caused by the herpes simplex virus, which is also responsible for cold sores. Both parents were tested, and it was confirmed that the virus did not originate from them.
It is suspected that Mariana contracted the virus from someone who kissed her, as the virus can be transmitted even without visible cold sores. Nicole has stated that she and her husband have no desire to identify the person responsible, believing it’s better not to know.
8. Jemma Benjamin
On April 30, 2009, 18-year-old Jemma Benjamin, a Welsh student, spent her day preparing for her university French exam. After finishing her studies, she met up with Daniel Ross, a fellow student, for a few drinks. Later, they went back to his apartment, where they shared a kiss outside before heading inside.
While Daniel was giving Jemma a tour of his apartment, she sat down on the living room couch. It was then that Daniel noticed her eyelids drooping and foam forming around her mouth. Within moments, Jemma had collapsed.
The ambulance was called twice and arrived more than 20 minutes later. By then, Jemma had already passed away. An autopsy revealed that her death was caused by sudden adult death syndrome.
Although an inquest concluded that the ambulance service had delayed its response, the pathologist stated that Jemma could not have been saved. Her father has since established a memorial fund to support the early detection of heart-related issues in young individuals.
7. Anthony Powell
Melissa Ann Blair and Anthony Powell first connected when Blair’s husband, a former inmate, received a letter from Powell, who was serving a life sentence for killing his mother-in-law. Blair replied to the letter, sparking a correspondence that evolved into a romantic relationship. On June 2, 2016, Blair visited Powell, her boyfriend, and they shared a prolonged kiss. Tragically, Powell died a few hours later.
During their kiss, Blair had secretly passed seven methamphetamine-filled balloons to Powell. Two of these balloons burst in his stomach, leading to his death. While both Blair and Powell were deemed responsible for the incident, Blair avoided manslaughter charges. Instead, she received a two-year prison sentence for drug conspiracy, followed by three years of supervised release.
6. Abby Fenstermaker
In early 2009, John Strike, an Ohio resident, contracted a severe strain of E. coli from eating a burger made with tainted meat. After several weeks in intensive care, he was transferred to a rehabilitation center to continue his recovery.
Shortly after Strike’s move, his seven-year-old granddaughter, Abby, became sick. Since Abby had recently been on antibiotics, her parents initially weren’t overly concerned. However, when she lost 1 kilogram (2 lb) in less than a week, they rushed her to the hospital.
Within 10 days of her first symptoms, Abby experienced kidney failure and brain damage. She slipped into a coma and passed away. Medical tests confirmed she had contracted E. coli, likely from kissing her grandfather’s cheek during a visit to the rehab center.
5. Julio Macias Gonzalez
In August 2016, 17-year-old Julio Macias Gonzalez was having dinner with his family at their home in Iztapalapa, Mexico City, when he suddenly began convulsing. Paramedics were called, but Gonzalez was declared dead upon their arrival.
At the time of his death, Gonzalez had a hickey on his neck, given to him by his 24-year-old girlfriend. Hickeys occur when sucking creates enough pressure to rupture blood vessels. While typically harmless, in Gonzalez’s case, it led to a blood clot that traveled to his brain, causing a fatal stroke.
4. Somnath Mhatre
India is home to approximately 300 species of snakes, with millions of individual snakes roaming the country. As a result, many residents view snakes as pests, comparable to rats, and often kill them on sight.
This has led to significant conservation challenges and spurred the practice of 'snake rescuing,' where snakes are captured and released far from human settlements. While commendable, this has also encouraged some individuals to use the opportunity for a dramatic selfie.
As he brought the snake close to his face, the cobra struck and bit him. He was quickly taken to the hospital but succumbed to the bite three days later. An Indian herpetologist noted that this marks approximately the 30th recorded death of a snake rescuer in the past 12 years.
3. Triatominae
Interestingly, a kiss doesn’t need to involve drugs or poison to become lethal. Kiss-related fatalities may be more common than we think, largely due to the Triatominae subfamily, commonly known as kissing bugs. These small insects bite humans near the mouth and then defecate in the wound. If they carry the Trypanosoma cruzi parasite, they can transmit Chagas disease.
Chagas disease often remains undetected, as the bugs and parasite can easily go unnoticed. Many people live for years without realizing they are infected, and medical professionals believe a significant number of cases are never identified.
The mortality rate for individuals with Chagas disease is up to three times higher than average, and the risk of heart disease increases by 17 times. Many cases are never diagnosed, and less than half of those affected have Chagas disease listed on their death certificates, suggesting its true impact may be vastly underestimated.
2. Dominique Wright
On October 30, 2016, Dominique Wright was out drinking with her boyfriend, Benjamin Hughes. After missing the last bus, Benjamin decided to drive Dominique home in his van, despite having consumed beer and shots earlier that evening.
While driving, Dominique, who wasn’t wearing a seatbelt, leaned over to kiss Benjamin. This happened just as they approached a curve in the road. Distracted by the kiss, Benjamin lost control, causing the van to veer into a ditch and crash into a tree.
Benjamin managed to escape the van, but Dominique tragically died at the scene. Tests revealed Benjamin was nearly twice over the legal alcohol limit for driving. Despite appeals for mercy from Dominique’s parents, he received a two-year prison sentence and a four-year driving ban.
1. Mao Ansheng
Surprisingly, this is the only case on this list where the fatal kiss was deliberately intended to cause death. This incident took place in China in 2007 when Xin Xinfeng killed her long-term partner, Mao Ansheng. The couple had made an infidelity pact, agreeing that either would face death if caught cheating.
One day, Mao was spotted speaking to another woman. Whether he planned to cheat remains unclear, but Xin considered this sufficient evidence. Before their next meeting, Xin concealed rat poison in plastic, creating a small pill she hid under her tongue. During a kiss, she transferred the pill into Mao’s mouth, and he unknowingly swallowed it.
Mao passed away shortly after, and Xin received a death sentence for the murder.
