Fridge Magnets Send 2-Year-Old Girl To Surgery

HOUSTON (AP) — Doctors say a 2-year-old Central Texas girl is recovering after surgery to remove nine round magnets she swallowed after finding them on the family's refrigerator.

Ava Kendall of College Station was in fair condition Tuesday at Texas Children's Hospital in Houston. Hospital spokeswoman Lindsey Fox says Ava was admitted before Christmas.

Lexi Kendall says her daughter got sick about two weeks ago, yelling and holding her stomach. The girl was examined at a clinic and diagnosed with the flu.

Kendall was still concerned and took her daughter to the Houston hospital, where a scan revealed the small magnets in her intestines — leading to surgery.

Doctors expect Ava to recover.

The toddler's father received the magnetic balls as a gift while an exchange student in Sweden before Ava was born.