US Edition9-Year-Old Severely Burned After Following TikTok Trend, Hospital Says
Caleb Chabolla suffered second-degree burns after microwaving a gel-filled sensory toy despite warnings, marking the fourth such injury treated this year at Loyola Medicine Burn Center.
- On the morning of Jan. 20, Caleb Chabolla microwaved a NeeDoh Nice Cube, which exploded and burned his face and hands; he was treated at Loyola Medicine's Burn Center and is recovering at home.
- TikTok videos show people microwaving the NeeDoh Nice Cube toy; the product page warns `Do NOT heat, freeze, or microwave.`
- Loyola burn staff reported this is the fourth Needoh-related case this year, with roughly 30% of patients being children, and Caleb suffered second-degree burns on one side of his face and his hands.
- Whitney Grubb, his mother, said he is recovering and will rejoin his fourth-grade class soon after a follow-up at the burn clinic on Tuesday morning.
- TikTok said it removes dangerous videos proactively, with Nick Smith, TikTok spokesperson, citing 99.8% removed in Q3 last year and Schylling partnering to remove misuse content, while online commenters debated responsibility after Scarlett Selby's 2025 case.
53 Articles
53 Articles
A viral challenge in TikTok with a toy left at least four children hospitalized for burns in Chicago.
Viral Toy Trend on TikTok Sends Child to Burn Unit
A dangerous social media trend on TikTok has left a 9-year-old Illinois boy with serious injuries, prompting doctors and parents to warn others about the risks tied to viral online challenges. The incident highlights growing concerns over how trends spread rapidly among children without clear warnings. Caleb Chabolla, a fourth-grader, suffered second-degree burns to his face and hands after heating a NeeDoh sensory toy in the microwave late last…
Boy, 9, Severely Burned After Microwaving Viral Toy
A 9-year-old Illinois boy was left with serious burns after a viral challenge gone wrong. Loyola Medicine says Caleb Chabolla put his NeeDoh cube—a squishy sensory toy—into the microwave on Jan. 20 after hearing from a classmate that heating it up was a thing to try. His mother,...
Schoolboy, 9, nearly has face burnt off after microwaving toy inspired by social video - The Mirror
WARNING GRAPHIC IMAGES: Caleb Chabolla, 9, was left with second-degree burns after a friend showed him a TikTok video about making a popular toy more flexible by placing it inside a microwave
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