Parents issued urgent warning over popular squishy toy during heatwave
A mom has issued a warning after what had been a normal day ended with a trip to hospital for her daughter.
Kim Staggs from West Virginia told how she had picked up her daughter Natalee from her grandparents house when she heard a 'blood-curdling scream' in the car.
"We weren't even a mile up the road, and she just lets out this blood-curdling scream," the mom told CBS affiliate KDKA.
"I'm driving and watching the road, and she lets out this awful scream. My heart sank."
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When she checked on her daughter, Staggs saw that her lap was covered in a clear substance and immediately drove them to the nearest hospital, where the substance was identified as silicone.
"The only way I could explain was like a hot taffy after it had cooled," she said.
Fortunately, medics in the emergency room were able to treat her daughter.
"They cleaned her right up with saline. It took a bit because the stuff inside of it was like this thick," the mom said.
The silicone had come from inside a squishy toy that Staggs' daughter had been playing with which had burst, sending the substance everywhere.
Following the incident warnings have been issue about leaving the extremely popular squishy toys in hot cars.
"If you try to put them in a microwave, or leave them in a hot car, they can just be dangerous," Staggs said.
The mom recalled how a nurse had told her that things could have been much worse.
"That nurse said, 'You are not lucky, you're blessed,' because if it would've been a different type of squishy, it could've been really bad," the mom said.
"It could've popped in her face, just anything."
At the hospital, the Poison Control Center told the mom that unfortunately cases like her daughter's were happening more.
The incident has come amid worries about the contents of some squishy toy products, including health concerns that the viral toys contain harmful chemicals.
Now, Staggs wants to raise awareness, and took to social media with a post that has since been viewed millions of times.
She said: "I hate that it happened to my own, but I'm just thankful that it wasn't any worse than what it could've been.
"If we can put a stop to it, that's the goal right there."
And the mom shared that she has had a strong response to her warning online, saying: "A lot of people were thanking us. They're glad we shared our story. It's not something they would've thought about."
UNILAD has approached toy manufacturer RMS for comment.
Kit Roberts