A family in Festus, Missouri is living through every parent’s nightmare after their 7-year-old daughter, Scarlett Selby, suffered severe burns from a microwave accident that left her in a medically-induced coma. The incident, which involved a popular children’s toy, has sparked urgent warnings from both the family and safety experts.
A Harmless Toy Turns Dangerous
These colorful, squeezable toys are marketed as stress relievers that you can “squeeze, pull, smush, and then watch it return to its original shape.” “She’d frozen the NeeDoh cube the night before, and the next day she showed me it was rock solid and was playing with it,” Selby recounted. What happened next would change their lives forever. Scarlett placed the frozen toy in the microwave, attempting to make it more malleable. Her father was nearby and saw her touch it to check the temperature when she removed it. But within moments, the seemingly innocent experiment went wrong.
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Her Scream Changed Everything
“I heard her scream, and it was like a blood-curdling scream,” Josh Selby said, describing the moment the gelatinous toy exploded, covering Scarlett’s face and chest with molten, sticky material. The desperate father tried to help his daughter but found the substance nearly impossible to remove. “Whenever I touched her, my hand stuck to her,” he explained. “I ripped her shirt off of her because the jelly had adhered to it as well.” The material inside the toy had turned into something resembling napalm, clinging to Scarlett’s skin and causing immediate, severe burns.
Rush to the Hospital
Josh and Scarlett’s mother, Amanda Blankenship, drove their daughter 30 minutes to St. Louis Children’s Hospital. Even upon arrival, Scarlett “was still screaming in pain,” according to her mother. Doctors immediately recognized the severity of the burns and placed Scarlett in an induced coma for three days. Medical professionals were particularly concerned about burns to her mouth, which could cause swelling in her airways. Her injuries were so severe that she required a feeding tube during her week-long hospital stay. “I don’t think I could speak to anybody without crying the entire time,” Selby admitted, reflecting on the traumatic experience.
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Beyond Physical Scars
While doctors decided against an immediate skin graft, Scarlett’s mother worries one may be needed in the future due to the extensive scarring. “We’re still putting creams and silicone ointments on it daily. They’re such profound scars that stick up off of her skin,” Blankenship explained. The emotional impact has been equally devastating. Blankenship, who works as a hairdresser, has noticed her daughter becoming increasingly self-conscious about her appearance.
“She gets very self-conscious, and I’ll see her trying to cover her scar up with her shirt when we’re out in public sometimes, or she’ll come home from school and say another kid asked her about it,” she shared. The loving mother reassures her daughter: “I tell her she doesn’t need to be embarrassed about it. She went through a lot and it was a terrible, terrible accident. She’s still beautiful, and those scars make her who she is.”
Microwave Accident Acts as a Warning to Other Parents
Josh Selby is now on a mission to warn other families about the dangers these popular toys can pose when misused. “I’ve told absolutely everyone to throw them out if they have them,” he cautioned. “The product that’s in it is like glue, so you essentially have hot glue exploding on you. Once it touches you, there’s no way to get it off.” He believes the toys should not be marketed in their current form. “It should not be sold like it is and it definitely should not be marketed the way it is.”
Manufacturer Warnings and Social Media Responsibility
The manufacturer of NeeDoh toys, Schylling Toys, includes warnings on their website that state: “Do NOT heat, freeze or microwave, may cause personal injury.” However, many parents question whether these warnings are prominent enough, given the popularity of such dangerous “challenges” on social media platforms.
TikTok, where many such challenges gain traction, states on its site that the platform doesn’t “allow the display or promotion of dangerous activities and challenges or violence.” Their policy specifically mentions that prohibited content “may include dares, games, tricks, inappropriate use of dangerous tools, eating substances that are harmful to one’s health, or similar activities that may lead to significant physical harm.”
The Rise of Dangerous Social Media Challenges
Child safety experts note that microwave accidents related to social media challenges aren’t isolated incidents. Parents are increasingly concerned about the influence of viral trends that may appear harmless but carry serious risks. Many kids don’t understand that microwaving certain materials can create dangerous chemical reactions or cause internal components to superheat. The combination of curiosity, peer influence, and easy access to household appliances creates a potentially dangerous situation.
Safety Tips for Parents
In light of this incident, safety advocates suggest several precautions for families:
- Talk to children about microwave safety and explain which items should never be placed inside.
- Discuss the dangers of following online challenges without adult supervision.
- Check toy labels for warnings and discuss them with your children.
- Consider monitoring younger children’s social media usage more closely.
- Keep potentially dangerous toys away from young children who might not understand warning labels.
Healing and Moving Forward
For the Selby family, the focus now is on Scarlett’s recovery and healing, both physically and emotionally. While the road ahead is challenging, they hope their experience will prevent other families from facing similar tragedies. This microwave accident serves as a stark reminder of how quickly ordinary household items can become dangerous, especially when influenced by social media trends. As parents navigate the complex world of raising children in the digital age, awareness and open communication about potential dangers remain their strongest tools.
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