Credit: Kennedy News & Media
Girl, 7, Left In Coma After Copying Squishy Toy Trend She’d Seen Online
A seven-year-old girl was left in a coma after copying an online squishy toy trend which left her with life-changing injuries.
Scarlett Selby, seven, from Missouri, was placed into an induced coma after playing with a toy.
Her parents are now urgently warning other families about the dangers of social media trends and the potential risks linked to toys being used in unintended ways.
The horrifying incident happened after Scarlett reportedly followed a trend she had watched on TikTok and YouTube involving the popular squishy stress toy.
According to her family, the toy exploded moments after being heated, spraying a burning sticky substance across the seven-year-old’s face and chest.
Scarlett was rushed to hospital and later placed into an induced coma as doctors feared the burns around her mouth could cause her airways to swell shut.
Parents recall ‘blood-curdling’ screams
Scarlett’s father, Josh Selby, said the terrifying accident unfolded within seconds.
“It all happened so quickly,” the 44-year-old recalled.
“I heard her scream and it was like a blood-curdling scream.”
Josh said he immediately rushed to help his daughter but quickly realized the substance covering her skin was unlike anything he had dealt with before.
“My first thought was to try and wipe it off her,” he explained.
“Whenever I touched her, my hand stuck to her. It was really thick and sticky.”
The father said he desperately removed Scarlett’s clothing because the burning substance had attached itself to her shirt as well.
“I ripped her shirt off of her because it was stuck to her shirt too,” he said.
“I took her as quickly as I could to the hospital.”
Scarlett’s mother, Amanda Blakenship, described the ordeal as one of the most traumatic experiences imaginable.
“She was still screaming when we got to the hospital and it’s a good 30-minute drive from where we live,” Amanda said.
“It was terrible how scared she was and how much that hurt her.
“I was panicked, devastated, terrified and heartbroken.”
The distraught mom explained that Scarlett had only been copying what she had seen online.
“It was [something] she followed that she’d seen on TikTok and YouTube,” she added.
Placed into a coma
Doctors later made the decision to place Scarlett into an induced coma due to the severity of the burns around her mouth and face.
Medical staff feared swelling could block her airway and create life-threatening complications.
Josh admitted the experience left him emotionally shattered.
“I was a complete mess,” he said.
“She spent a week in the hospital and for three days of that she was in the coma.
“I don’t think I could speak to anybody without crying the entire time.”
Although Scarlett survived, her family says she has been left with long-term physical and emotional scars from the accident.
Amanda revealed doctors chose not to perform a skin graft immediately but warned Scarlett may require one in the future because of the severity of her injuries.
The seven-year-old was left with visible scarring across parts of her body, which her mother described as “profound.”
The family has since shared photographs documenting Scarlett’s recovery journey in the hope of warning others.
Growing safety concerns
The incident has sparked renewed concern surrounding dangerous online trends involving children experimenting with household items and toys.
Experts have repeatedly warned parents that social media challenges and viral hacks can spread quickly among young viewers without properly explaining safety risks.
Many trends involving heating, freezing, or modifying toys have circulated widely across TikTok, YouTube Shorts, and Instagram Reels in recent years.
Child safety advocates say younger children are especially vulnerable because they may imitate online content without fully understanding the dangers involved.
The NeeDoh cube involved in Scarlett’s accident is marketed as a sensory stress toy and retails for around $9.
Inside the cube is a jelly-like substance made using polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) glue, giving it its soft and squishy texture.
While the contents are marketed as non-toxic, experts warn heating sealed products can dramatically increase pressure inside the toy and potentially cause them to rupture.
Scarlett’s parents now believe stronger warnings are needed around products commonly featured in viral social media trends.
Josh said the experience completely changed his perspective on toy safety.
“For that to happen to my daughter was the hardest thing that I’ve gone through,” he said.
“I’ve told absolutely everyone to throw them out if they have them.
“It should not be sold like it is and it definitely should not be marketed the way it is.”
The viral toy trend that led to disaster
According to Scarlett’s family, the seven-year-old had placed the NeeDoh cube in the freezer overnight after seeing videos online involving the toy.
The next day, she reportedly microwaved it as part of the trend she had watched on social media.
Moments later, the cube exploded.
Josh recalled hearing Scarlett’s screams from another room before discovering the burning substance spread across her chest, mouth, and chin.
“It had exploded all over her chest, mouth and chin,” he said.
Toy manufacturer Schylling Toys includes a warning on its website advising customers not to heat, freeze, or microwave NeeDoh products.
The warning states: “Do NOT heat, freeze, or microwave, may cause personal injury.”
Since Scarlett’s story gained widespread attention online, many parents have shared concerns about children recreating viral internet trends without supervision.
Some have also called for clearer packaging warnings and stronger awareness campaigns around products frequently used in online challenges.
Child safety experts continue encouraging parents to monitor online content viewed by younger children and discuss the dangers of copying viral stunts or experiments seen on social media.
Scarlett’s family says they hope sharing their daughter’s story will prevent another child from suffering similar injuries.
They are now urging parents to remove the toy from their homes entirely or ensure children understand the dangers of altering or heating the product in any way.
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