Psychiatric patient dies after eating banana

The woman, who was admitted to the hospital in Scorrano, Lecce, earlier this month, swallowed the banana whole, causing an obstruction in the oesophagus, Gazzetta dell Mezzogiorno reported.

She had taken the banana from the bedside table of another patient, the newspaper said.

Family members of the woman, from Foggia, have spoken to the police about the responsibility of staff at the hospital but are yet to make a formal complaint.

However, an attorney is thought to have started an investigation into alleged manslaughter, the newspaper said.