Illinois Family Warns About Dangers of Popular Toy

If your child received this toy for Christmas, be careful. WQAD says an Illinois family recently suffered quite the ordeal after their 11-year-old daughter swallowed the popular magnetic toy Buckyballs.

The child was injured after putting one magnetic ball on the outside of her lip and one on the inside, attempting to stick them together. The balls broke apart and slid down her throat, landing the girl in the hospital for several days.

According to doctors, Buckyballs pose a serious risk if ingested, including the possibility of perforating the GI tract, which can be deadly. Although the toy was banned from sale in 2012, it was put back on the market in 2016. Their packaging contains a warning to parents, but many don't realize how dangerous Buckyballs can actually be.

The family says they know several other parents that were unaware of the threat and had purchased the toy for their children for Christmas that ended up returning them.