The nearly six-hour ordeal began yesterday when Leo tried to reach into the machine, located in a Melbourne hotel lobby, and became trapped by its anti-theft mechanism.
The vending machine was the first one he had ever seen.
"We live up in Arnhem Land, Northern Territory, and I don't think he's seen a vending machine before so he saw the Oreos, and some biscuits and a few other things," his father Aaron Shorthouse told CNN affiliate 7 News.
Rescue workers distracted the child, Leo, by showing cartoons to him on their phones and giving him a stuffed toy as they worked to free him but he had to be sedated at times.
"It was (hard to watch), especially seeing a young fellow like this after five and a half hours," Shorthouse said.
"He was a bit inquisitive...But he's good now."
Metropolitan Fire Brigade's Steve Watts said, "Look, over the years I've attended to several children with their arms in vending machines. This particular one is actually quite heavy duty and a real challenge for us."
You’ve reached your limit of {{free_limit}} free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →
Smart Quarterly
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Exclusive premium stories online
Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors


Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share


Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor


Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements


Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app
