Scarlett Selby had simply wanted to recreate a TikTok and YouTube “hack” she’d seen: freeze a NeeDoh squishy cube, then pop it in the microwave. Under her dad Josh’s casual watch, she checked it with her fingers, like she’d seen online. In a split second, the toy exploded, splattering molten goo across her chest, mouth and chin. Her blood-curdling scream sent Josh sprinting; every attempt to wipe the sticky substance from her skin only tore at her burned flesh.

Rushed to St Louis Children’s Hospital, Scarlett was placed in an induced coma as doctors feared her airways would close. She spent a week in hospital, three days unconscious, while her parents broke down in waiting rooms. Months on, she lives with profound second and third-degree scars, still facing possible skin grafts and cruel questions from classmates. Her parents now beg others to throw the toys away and to never, ever trust what looks like “fun” online without understanding the danger behind it.