Seven-year-old Scarlett Selby from Festus, Missouri, was left in an induced coma after a squishy toy exploded during a dangerous TikTok trend. In October 2024, Scarlett froze a NeeDoh cube and microwaved it to make it softer, as seen in online videos. The toy burst, spraying boiling glue-like material on her face and chest.
Her father, Josh Selby, 44, described the horrifying moment: “I heard her scream, and it was like a blood-curdling scream. It had exploded all over her chest, mouth and chin.” Scarlett was rushed to the hospital, where doctors feared swelling in her airway and kept her in a coma for three days.
Scarlett suffered second and third-degree burns and spent a week in hospital on a feeding tube. Her mother, Amanda Blakenship, warned parents: “It was terrible how scared she was. It was something she copied from TikTok and YouTube.”
The family is urging others to throw out these toys. Experts also remind parents to monitor children’s online activity and avoid trends that can cause serious harm.
