9-Year-Old Boy Sustains Serious Burns from Risky TikTok MICROWAVE Challenge

A nine-year-old boy in Plainfield, Illinois, suffered critical burns after engaging in a perilous TikTok challenge that required using a microwave.

Caleb was getting ready for school on January 20 when he turned on the microwave in his family's home, while his mother, Whitney Grubb, assisted his sibling in preparing for departure.

Whitney initially believed Caleb was warming his breakfast, but her concern escalated when she heard a 'blood-curdling scream' emanating from him, as reported to the Chicago Sun Times.

Unbeknownst to her, Caleb was microwaving a Needoh cube, a popular sensory toy filled with a thick gel substance, rather than food.

This online challenge encourages people to heat the toy in the microwave to soften it since it can become firm over time.

However, when Caleb opened the microwave, the toy exploded directly in his face and on his hands, resulting in severe burns.

Upon inquiring about the incident, he explained to his mother that a school friend had suggested putting it in the microwave. Grubb recounted, 'It wasn’t anything malicious, it was just kids sharing stories, and unfortunately, he decided to try it.'

Panicking, Whitney attempted to remove the scorching gelatinous substance from his face in the shower, but its thickness made it difficult and agonizing, prompting her to rush him to the hospital.

After some time in the emergency department, Caleb was subsequently moved to Loyola Burn Center in Maywood.

He suffered second-degree burns on his face, hands, and additionally behind one ear.

His eye became 'completely swollen shut' after the toy detonated, Grubb stated in an interview with CBS News.

As per Kelly McElligott, a burn outreach coordinator at Loyola, Caleb's pain was exacerbated due to the gelatin's highly viscous nature. 'Since it's so viscous, it sticks, and it remains hot longer, thus inflicting more substantial burns,' McElligott explained.

The medical team cleaned Caleb's burns, removed the dead skin, and treated his injuries with ointment.

Fortunately, an ophthalmologist confirmed that the boy's eye sustained no damage from the incident.

He remained hospitalized for two days and was spared the necessity for skin grafts, although there is a possibility that he may develop scars from the burns.