Girl, 7, Placed In Coma After Copying Dangerous Squishy Toy Trend From Social Media

Seven-year-old Scarlett Selby from Missouri was rushed to the hospital and placed in an induced coma after a squishy toy exploded while she was playing with it at home.

The tragic accident happened when Scarlett tried to copy a viral TikTok trend involving a popular squishy toy that has been circulating across social media platforms.

The toy in question, a NeeDoh cube, sells for around $9 and is typically marketed as a stress-relief item meant to be squeezed or stretched to help with focus or relaxation.

Inside each cube is a jelly-like filling made from PVA glue, a material often described as non-toxic but still unsuitable for heating or freezing.

Scarlett’s father, Josh Selby, 44, said he will never forget the horrifying sound he heard that day — a scream that froze him in place.

He described the moment as unforgettable, saying: "It all happened so quickly,"

Scarlett and her mum Amanda Blakenship. Kennedy News & Media

"I was a complete mess. 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."

Her mother, Amanda Blankenship, also recalled the terrifying moments after the explosion, saying:

"She was still screaming when we got to the hospital and it's a good 30-minute drive from where we live."

"It was terrible how scared she was and how much that hurt her."

"I was panicked, devastated, terrified and heartbroken."

"It was [something] she followed that she'd seen on TikTok and YouTube."

Now, both parents are pleading with others to take action and remove these types of toys from their homes before another child gets hurt.

They’ve spoken out publicly in hopes that their story will prevent similar tragedies from happening again.

Josh urged other parents to stay alert, saying: "For that to happen to my daughter was the hardest thing that I've gone through. I've told absolutely everyone to throw them out if they have them."

He continued, emphasizing how unsafe the product is and how misleading its marketing can be: "It should not be sold like it is and it definitely should not be marketed the way it is."

The seven-year-old was left with life-changing injuries. Kennedy News & Media

According to reports, Scarlett had watched a social media video that suggested freezing the NeeDoh cube overnight and then microwaving it to “enhance” its texture — a dangerous idea that led to disaster.

Josh remembered the exact moment everything went wrong, saying: "I heard her scream and it was like a blood-curdling scream."

He added that the toy burst apart on impact, explaining: "It had exploded all over her chest, mouth and chin."

The terrified father went on to describe the aftermath of the explosion, saying: "My first thought was to try and wipe it off her. Whenever I touched her, my hand stuck to her. It was really thick and sticky."

"I ripped her shirt off of her because it was stuck to her shirt as well. I took her as quickly as I could to the hospital."

Doctors placed Scarlett in a medically induced coma to stop swelling in her airways, fearing her severe facial burns could cause them to close completely.

The situation was described as critical for several days while doctors worked to stabilize her.

While doctors ultimately decided against performing a skin graft during her hospital stay, her mother said the scars left behind are “profound,” and she worries that Scarlett may still need surgery in the future to repair the damage.

Manufacturer Schylling Toys, the company behind NeeDoh products, includes a warning on its official website that clearly states: “Do NOT heat, freeze, or microwave, may cause personal injury.”

Scarlett’s family says that the message came far too late to protect their daughter, and they want stricter regulations on how these toys are marketed online.