Ten-month-old Esther Bethard died in July of 2023, after accidentally ingesting water beads, like so many other children before her. Despite 1000s of injuries, no recall issuedĭespite all those injuries, no official CPSC warning or recall was issued until after the death of a baby girl with bright blue eyes and red curly hair in Wisconsin. The CPSC reported that data showed 7800 children were treated in hospital emergency rooms for water bead injuries, between 20. The CPSC publicly pledged to investigate water beads and revealed alarming statistics. In May of 2023, several moms testified at a CPSC hearing, sharing their painful stories of what happened to their children. “Incredibly, our system doesn't protect kids. Too many children have been getting hurt,” Haugen said, fighting back tears. Together, they began to pressure the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), the government agency responsible for warning the public about dangerous products, pleading for them to take action and issue a recall of water beads. As Haugen became aware of a growing number of injuries, she launched a website, That Water Bead Lady, and teamed up with other moms to spread the word about the danger of water beads. Parent after parent contacted her saying the same thing happened to their child. She discovered their family was not alone. Haugen decided to share their story on social media to warn other parents, and her TikTok video when viral. We thought we had purchased something safe,” she said, angrily. they did CT scans, they did ultrasound, they couldn’t figure out what exactly was wrong,” Haugen recalled.įinally, a surgeon said they would have to do emergency, exploratory surgery, and that’s when they found a colorful, squishy material blocking Kipley’s bowel. “Kipley woke up projectile vomiting, and we thought she had the stomach flu,” Haugen remembered.Īs Kipley’s condition deteriorated throughout the day, they took her to the hospital, but even the doctors couldn’t figure out what was causing her to be so sick. When ingested, the water beads begin to absorb body fluid and enlarge, potentially creating dangerous blockages in the intestines and bowel of small children, which is exactly what happened to Kipley. Then, the little beads lie hidden, in wait, like ticking time bombs for small children crawling on the floor or even pets who find them. Even though the Haugens say they supervised their daughters' play, water beads are so tiny, they easily get lost in carpeting and corners if accidentally spilled. Kipley unknowingly swallowed some of the water beads from a sensory kit purchased for her older sister. Haugen learned first-hand how damaging water beads can be when her daughter Kipley, just one-year-old at the time, suffered serious injuries from them in 2017. When water is added, they become slimy and squishy and can grow up to 100-times their original size, creating a serious risk for intestinal blockages and toxic reactions if swallowed by infants and or small children.ĭespite that, for much of the past decade, they have been marketed as a fun sensory toy for kids, without warning of the blockage or toxicity danger. They are made of super-absorbent polymer. Water beads start out looking like tiny, colorful sprinkles. “Water beads never should have been put on the market in the first place as a children's toy. Her goal was trying is to convince them to support the Ban Water Beads Act. Haugen spoke to Spotlight on America in late January as she spent the day talking to lawmakers and their staff in the Rayburn House Office Building in Washington, D.C. If we don't do this, kids are going to die,” she told Spotlight on America. Texas mom, Ashley Haugen, also known as That Water Bead Lady, never expected to be walking the halls of Congress, the face of a movement, warning the public about the danger of water beads. Spotlight on America National Investigative Correspondent Angie Moreschi goes in depth with the mom behind the grassroots movement to get around what many safety experts call a ‘flawed’ product recall system. Despite the danger they pose to young children, the government was slow to issue a warning and recall.Įnter That Water Bead Lady. Water beads are a popular, children’s sensory toy connected to thousands of reports of serious injuries and at least one death. WASHINGTON (SOA) - Moms on a mission are stepping in where the government is falling short to protect the public against a dangerous product.
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