A New Mexico teenager reportedly went to the emergency center with severe burns after a NeeDoh toy sitting in a hot car for hours exploded when she squeezed it.
The story follows a spate of headlines as kids attempt to microwave their NeeDoh and other squishy toys — often soft, gel‑filled stress and fidget products — only to end up with third-degree burns from the molten material inside.
Here’s what you should know about the latest case.
‘Please Momma Get It Off’
Katie Spence told local media outlet KRQE that she was in West Texas with her 13-year-old daughter on June 6, when temperatures reached a peak of 94 degrees Fahrenheit.
Throughout the day, Spence’s daughter’s NeeDoh sat in the car as the gel material inside grew increasingly hotter. After more than four hours, the girl squeezed the toy, which exploded and caused third-degree burns on her arms and legs.
“She jumps out of the car and she’s like screaming at the top of her lungs like, ‘Please momma get it off,'” Katie Spence told KRQE. “There was people all around. We were trying to get it off and they said don’t take it off because it will rip her skin off. So then I rush her to the nearest children’s hospital.”
According to the outlet, the entire ordeal was documented in a Snapchat video, which starts with Spence’s daughter commenting on how hot the toy was before it exploded.
NeeDoh’s Parent Company Responds
In a statement shared with USA TODAY, NeeDoh’s parent company, Schylling, said it was “saddened to hear about the reported incident and hope the child is recovering,” adding that the “safety of children and families is a top priority” for the company.
Following a viral social media trend that encouraged children to microwave their NeeDoh toys, Schylling added several safety warnings to all its packaging. They include a note about leaving the toys in a hot car or direct sunlight, as well as the danger of microwaving, heating, or freezing them.
Previous Reported Incidents
Spence’s experience wasn’t the first time a squishy toy exploded in a car.
Back in May, a mom warned others in a local Facebook group that her daughter’s friend’s squishy toy in the shape of a dumpling exploded after it was left in the car.
“My younger daughter picked it up today in the car, it exploded because of heat in the car and went all over her,” the mother wrote. “She is OK, thank goodness. However, the screaming that came out of her will be something I will never forget.”
Meanwhile, in August 2025, another mom posted to TikTok the aftermath of a squishy toy that exploded in her car.
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