Woolworths shopper warns parents after child hospitalised: 'Inches from fatal'
Toy supermarket trolley blamed for boy's severe injury.
A Woolworths customer has issued a warning to other parents after her young son suffered a nasty injury while playing with the retailer's popular mini supermarket trolley toy.
Distressed mother Tayla Hillis urged other shoppers not to buy the mini trolley that retails for $30, or to return the item if already purchased. "My 7-year-old son spent 2 days in hospital," she wrote on the Woolworths Facebook page, "there is nothing holding them together, they are super dangerous."
Ms Hillis also shared a photo of her son on a hospital gurney, and images of the mini trolley in its dismantled state, explaining the toy can be easily taken apart by children to expose several hooks that can potentially cause puncture wounds.
Ms Hillis went on to express concerns the item is marketed to children over the age of three, stating she bought the item for her four and five-year-old kids, and despite the hooks' rounded edges, she says they're still able to pierce skin. "As you can see, it doesn't have to be sharp to insert into skin, I want to warn other parents, so other children don't go through what my son has gone through."
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The mother of six told Yahoo News that when she purchased the mini trolley from Woolworths in Warragul just before Christmas it never crossed her mind that such an injury could occur. "My son was walking to bed and pushed the trolley out of his way, the rounded hook went through his skin," she said.
Ms Hillis further explained that the accident could've been deadly as the wound was close to a major artery in her son's groin. "It was inches away from fatal. Definitely no toys from Woolworths ever again, it's not worth the risk. They are completely unsafe, and definitely shouldn't be available for purchase," she added, before confirming that her son is now home and recovering from his injuries.
Woolworths responds to complaint
A Woolworths spokesperson told Yahoo News Australia the retailer will be launching an investigation into the product. "We can understand how this is concerning for the little boy's mother. We have spoken to the customer and apologised for what occurred," the spokesperson said. "As a result, we have asked the customer to return the trolley to her local store and we will be able to complete an internal investigation into the product."
Yahoo understands this is the first such complaint Woolworths has received about the mini trolley in over two years since they first stocked the toy. The item is part of the popular Woolworths' Big Box Toy range and comes with a warning that it's not suitable for children under the age of two and that small parts could be a choking hazard.
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