What started as a colorful squishy toy and a viral TikTok challenge quickly spiraled into a nightmare no one could have foreseen.
A simple experiment, copied from a popular video, turned into a life-threatening emergency for a 7-year-old girl—and now her family is sounding urgent warnings about the dangers of viral trends and unsafe toys. How did a harmless game escalate into a catastrophic accident—and who bears responsibility for the fallout?
Young Girl Left in Coma After Toy Explosion Linked to Viral TikTok Challenge
Scarlett Selby, a seven-year-old from Festus, Missouri, is fighting for her life after a squishy toy exploded during a TikTok-inspired challenge, leaving her with severe burns and in a medically induced coma.
In October 2024, Scarlett tried to replicate a trending video on TikTok that showed users freezing a NeeDoh cube and then microwaving it to soften the texture. Following the steps, Scarlett microwaved the frozen toy for a few seconds, but as she reached inside to retrieve it, the toy suddenly detonated—releasing a scalding, glue-like substance onto her face and chest.
Her father, Josh Selby, 44, heard her scream and immediately rushed to her side. “Her scream was blood-curdling. I grabbed her and started trying to wipe off the sticky goo, but my hand kept sticking to her skin,” he recalled. Panicked, he tore off her shirt, which was also soaked in the burning substance, and sped to the hospital, fearing airway swelling from the burns around her mouth.
Doctors confirmed that Scarlett had sustained second- and third-degree burns and placed her in a medically induced coma for three days during a week-long hospital stay. She was evaluated for possible skin grafts due to the severity of the damage.
Josh described the harrowing moment: “She had frozen the NeeDoh the night before and was playing with it. I was watching her microwave it, and when she touched it, it exploded all over her. The goo was thick and burning, and there was no way to get it off fast enough.”
Parents Urge Caution Amid Viral Dangers
Scarlett’s mother, Amanda Blankenship, explained that her daughter had seen numerous online videos encouraging the risky behavior. “She was just trying to copy what she saw on TikTok and YouTube,” Amanda said, still shaken. “She screamed all the way to the hospital—it was terrifying.”
Now, the Selby family is warning parents nationwide about the potential hazards of these toys and the viral challenges spreading on social media.
“This toy should never be frozen or microwaved, especially not by kids,” Josh emphasized. “If it can explode like this and release something so dangerous, it shouldn’t be sold in its current form.”
Scarlett’s injuries were so severe that she required tube feeding during her hospital stay. Although doctors initially avoided skin graft surgery, Amanda fears her daughter may need one in the future because of the “profound” scarring.
Manufacturer and Platforms Respond
Schylling Toys, makers of the NeeDoh, clearly states on their website: “Do NOT heat, freeze, or microwave. May cause personal injury.” Representatives from the company were contacted for comment.
TikTok responded by reiterating its policy against content promoting dangerous behavior, explaining that they use algorithms to detect and remove harmful trends quickly. YouTube, where some similar videos surfaced, stated it enforces strict rules prohibiting risky challenges involving children and actively removes violating content.
A Sobering Reminder
Scarlett’s painful experience is a powerful warning about the dangers hiding beneath viral online challenges. What seemed like a harmless experiment turned into a devastating tragedy, leaving a young girl with life-altering injuries and a family pleading for awareness.
Her story is a call to action for parents, social media companies, and toy manufacturers alike: more must be done to protect children from the potentially deadly consequences of copying dangerous internet trends.
Closing Thoughts
Scarlett Selby’s ordeal stands as a heartbreaking lesson about the risks of viral content and unsafe toys. A joyful moment turned into a fight for survival, underscoring the urgent need for vigilance, responsibility, and stronger safeguards online and in the marketplace.
As her family shares their story, their hope is clear: to prevent any other child from suffering the same fate and to demand greater accountability from those who design, promote, and regulate the products and platforms that shape our children’s world.