Northampton County mom warns others about water beads after 11-year-old son swallows one

Saturday, May 11, 2024
BETHLEHEM, Pennsylvania (WPVI) -- A mother from Bethlehem, Northampton County is speaking out with a warning to others on water beads.

Stacey Gonzalez found out that water beads can be potentially dangerous when her 11-year-old son reportedly swallowed some of them at school last month.
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The Consumer Product Safety Commission says from 2016 to 2022, water beads resulted in nearly 8,000 emergency room visits.

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That's why Pennsylvania Senator Bob Casey sponsored a Senate bill that would ban the sale of water beads marketed to children as toys.
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Gonzalez says the sooner the bill becomes law, the better.

"Why are they still out in stores? Why do we still have access to them if they're harming our children? I really think we need to ban them immediately," she said.



The bill would also limit what colors water beads could be so that they would be less appealing to kids.
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