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A mother has expressed feelings of guilt after purchasing a counterfeit squishy toy that burst in her young son’s face, leading to his hospitalization. Jodanna Bevan bought the toys from Shein for her children after spotting them on sale. Her four-year-old son, Hudson, was squeezing one when it suddenly popped, releasing a thick white substance with a sandy texture directly onto his face. Though his eyes appeared bloodshot but stable following an initial wash, they became severely swollen by the next morning, so Jodanna took him to the hospital for treatment.
At the hospital, Hudson underwent a procedure where water was flushed through each eye to restore the proper pH balance. Jodanna described the experience as distressing, admitting it was “horrendous as a parent to watch him go through that.” Although his vision was affected, doctors administered eye drops to help with recovery. The popularity of these squishy toys, particularly among children in the UK, has surged thanks to their frequent appearances on social media platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. These toys often resemble dumplings, sparking excitement as children cannot see the contents before receiving them.
Jodanna mentioned noticing various versions of these toys being sold online on sites like Amazon and Temu, but she chooses not to buy from those sources. Vicki, a spokesperson on toy safety, commented that she had not personally encountered counterfeit squishy toys but had heard parental warnings about a strong petrol-like odor coming from some products. She advised parents to purchase toys from reputable stores and to check for the CE safety mark to ensure the toy has passed necessary safety standards. Vicki also emphasized the importance of inspecting toys before giving them to children, especially given the proliferation of counterfeit products that may be marketed as legitimate brands.
In response to the incident, Shein stated that it treated the claims seriously and confirmed that the product in question had been removed from its platform. The company’s product safety and compliance teams reviewed the case, and their customer service had reached out to Jodanna’s family with well wishes for Hudson’s recovery. Shein also highlighted that all sellers on their platform must adhere to the company’s code of conduct, safety standards, and relevant laws. Additionally, the retailer noted that earlier in the year, they had proactively strengthened controls regarding the sale of squishy dumpling toys and advocated for better cross-platform information sharing to address problematic listings and sellers
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