In a distressing incident from Illinois, a young boy found himself with severe burns after attempting a hazardous TikTok challenge involving the use of a microwave. The mishap occurred on the morning of January 20 when nine-year-old Caleb, while preparing for school, decided to engage with a viral trend that has been circulating on social media.
Caleb’s mother, Whitney Grubb, was busy helping her other son get ready when she noticed Caleb using the microwave. Initially, she assumed he was simply heating up his breakfast. Her assumption was shattered by a chilling scream from Caleb, a sound she described to the Chicago Sun Times as “blood-curdling.”
Instead of food, Caleb had placed a Needoh cube—a popular sensory toy known for its thick gel filling—into the microwave. The TikTok challenge he was mimicking involves microwaving these toys to soften them as they tend to harden over time. Unfortunately, when Caleb opened the microwave, the toy burst, causing severe burns to his face and hands.
This incident highlights the potential dangers of following unverified and risky trends online, especially when they involve household appliances. It serves as a cautionary tale for both parents and children about the importance of safe internet practices and the need for supervision when young ones are exploring the digital world.
The online challenge shows people placing the toy in the appliance so they can soften it up since they firm up over time.
But when Caleb opened the microwave door, the toy exploded on his face and hands, leaving him with excruciating burns.
‘When I asked what happened, he told me that a friend at school told him about putting it in the microwave,’ Grubb told the outlet.
‘It wasn’t anything malicious, it was just kids sharing stories, and unfortunately, he decided to try it.’
Nine-year-old Caleb was left with severe burns to his face after he took part in a dangerous TikTok trend on January 20
Caleb placed a Needoh cube (pictured) in his microwave at home that morning. When he opened it, the gel-filled toy exploded on him
The worried mother tried her best to wipe the piping hot gelatinous material off his face in the shower, but it was too thick and caused too much pain, so she rushed him to the hospital.
After spending some time in the emergency room, the young boy was transferred to Loyola Burn Center in Maywood.
Caleb was left with second-degree burns to his face, hands, and another behind one of his ears.
His eye was also ‘completely swollen shut’ after the toy exploded, Grubb told CBS News.
According to Kelly McElligott, a burn outreach coordinator with Loyola, Caleb was left in so much pain because the gelatin material is ‘so vicious.’
‘Because it’s so viscous, it sticks, and it stays hot longer, it’s going to cause a more significant burn,’ McElligott told the outlet.
Caleb eventually had all of his burns washed, his dead skin cut away, and ointment applied to his injuries.
Thankfully, an ophthalmologist said the boy’s eye was not damaged from the mishap.
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He spent two days in the hospital and did not need skin grafts, but could develop scars from the burns
Caleb was left with second-degree burns to his face, hands (left), and another behind one of his ears (right)
He spent two days in the hospital and did not need skin grafts, but could develop scars from the burns.
Unfortunately, Caleb is not the only child trying out the dangerous trend, as McElligott said he is just one of four patients who came in after putting a Needoh cube in the microwave.
‘A child who heated it up in the microwave, then put her finger on it and her finger went through, and it burned her finger,’ McElligott recalled of another patient.
The burn professional urged children and parents to refrain from taking part in the daring trend.
‘Do not heat these up in any way, shape, or form. Whether it’s the microwave, hot water, those things can really be dangerous,’ McElligott stated.
Grubb echoed her statement, adding: ‘Just talk with your kids, make sure they understand the safety of the things.’
Each Needho cube comes with a warning label that tells users not to heat them up.
The Daily Mail contacted Schylling, the family-owned toy company that sells the sensory toy, for comment.
