Prepare to be captivated by the chilling tale of a family’s encounter with radioactive materials. While the recent recovery of a missing radioactive capsule has sparked discussion, Redditors have been sharing their own stories of unfortunate encounters with radiation.
One particularly distressing incident took place in Mexico City in 1962. A family unknowingly exposed themselves to a radioactive source, resulting in a mysterious illness. The family had moved into a new house, unaware of the small lead container hidden inside.
Without any knowledge of its contents, the family was entrusted with the container. Tragically, the radioactive source was eventually removed from the lead container and ended up in the yard. It was discovered by a curious 10-year-old boy, who unknowingly placed the cobalt-60 capsule in his pocket and brought it into the house.
Unaware of the danger, the boy’s mother took the capsule from his pocket and stored it in a kitchen drawer. It wasn’t until later that month that she noticed the blackening of glass tumblers kept near the capsule. This discoloration, a known effect of radiation exposure, failed to raise any alarms within the family.
Attempting to assess the radiation doses received by the family proved challenging. The family’s movements both inside and outside the house had to be taken into account, as well as the scattering and absorption of radiation by objects in the home. By piecing together information from the lone survivor, the team estimated the extent of their exposure.
The 10-year-old boy received a high dose of radiation, primarily from direct contact with the cobalt-60. His sister, who spent more time playing outside, was exposed to a lesser extent while the radioactive source was in the drawer. However, the mother, who was pregnant at the time, received a significant dose due to her proximity during meal preparation.
As the mother fell ill from radiation sickness, her mother-in-law took over her duties. Tragically, the 10-year-old boy passed away on April 29, followed by his 2-year-old sister, who spent more time inside with the family after their brother’s death. The mother succumbed to the radiation on July 19, and the capsule was finally discovered and removed from the house. However, it was too late to save the 2-year-old daughter, who died on August 18, and the grandmother, who passed away on October 15.
The father, the sole survivor of this harrowing incident, received a lower dose of radiation, ranging from 990-1,200 absorbed doses (rad), as he spent less time near the source compared to his son’s exposure of 4,700-5,200 rad.
