Mum's Warning After Daughter Is Nearly Strangled By Slinky Toy

A stranger saved her daughter’s life when the toy became wrapped around the little girls neck.

UK mother Stacey Paterson has issued an urgent warning to other parents after her daughter Abigail was nearly strangled by a slinky toy. The popular toy is a regular feature in party bags and Christmas stockings, but a moment of unsupervised play quickly turned to panic for Stacey when it became caught around Abigail’s neck.

Harmless Fun

Taking to social media to share her story with other parents in the hope of preventing similar events, Stacey said she never imagined something so serious could happen so quickly. “Slinkies seem so harmless I would never have thought this could happen!!” she said. “She put it round her neck like a necklace. It got stuck and she pulled to try to get it off and it got tighter and tighter!!”

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A stranger passing by heard Stacey’s screams and didn’t hesitate, running upstairs to calm her husband down and help him untangle the slinky while she called for an ambulance. “I will forever be grateful to the young lad!” Stacey said of the stranger. “Please be careful with slinkies!”

No Lasting Damage

Despite receiving abusive comments, Stacey did not delete her post in the hope it would help other parents. “Accidents happen and I already feel terrible – I don’t need other people making me feel worse!” she said. “Abigail is absolutely fine, she has some bruising but that is already fading. We were very lucky!”

We really feel for Stacey and admire her for being willing to share her story, but we think it also serves as an important reminder of the potential danger that toys can pose to young children if they are left unsupervised.

Has your child been injured by a toy? Share your story in the comments.

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47 Comments

- - meedee said
  - 20 Jul 2023
    10:20 am
Its important to always keep an eye on the kids as they play

- - Frankiielot said
  - 27 Jun 2023
    9:00 pm
Had no idea this could happen with a slinky!
Very scary indeed. Glad everything is okay now and the stranger managed to help get it off.

- - mom466291 said
  - 11 Nov 2021
    6:44 am
We had so many slinkies as kids and never would have thought thus could happen, but I guess everything can be dangerous in the little ones hands as they explore

- - mom81879 said
  - 13 Feb 2020
    1:07 pm
I would never have thought a slinky could do this. I had one as a kid, my kids had one as kids and no doubt my grandkids will have one. So scarey that toys can be fatal

- - nealsq said
  - 25 Jan 2020
    5:04 pm
never occurred to me that this could happen, how scary!

- - linaianna said
  - 06 Jan 2020
    5:16 pm
Children should always be supervised but never thought this could happen

- - Blossom said
  - 01 Jan 2020
    8:48 pm
I would like to know if MOM asked for permission to re-run this article, especially as the child’s photo is actually on it

- - ThisIsMe said
  - 31 Dec 2019
    9:06 pm
I think you always need to supervise kids with toys especially young children. I assume this was quite a young child but you can never e sure what runs through a child’s mind.

- - musicmum said
  - 31 Dec 2019
    2:26 am
The article does not say how old the child was, I think children just need to be supervised properly to avoid harm at all times.

- - MisChip said
  - 24 Dec 2019
    1:22 am
I also know someone who had a scratched eye after having one flung at them.

- - mom60462 said
  - 20 Dec 2019
    8:49 am
Didnt think it was possible to do that

- - littlehandsofmine said
  - 19 Dec 2019
    2:49 pm
they are fun though

- - Ellen said
  - 19 Dec 2019
    9:37 am
My 9yr old threw her slinky in my face this week when I confronted her with not listening. You may understand that I was happy to throw the slinky in the bin.

- - tessie said
  - 18 Dec 2019
    11:23 am
Come on people. It was’t done on purpose and who would’ve thought she would put the slinky around her neck. Abigail is okay which is the main thing. Thank goodness that stranger helped when he did. Thank you Stacey for sharing this with us and I wish your family all the best this Christmas.

- - rovermum said
  - 18 Dec 2019
    9:07 am
Always an important reminder to what can happen – unsupervised or not. And always refer to age ranging on toys. This gets dismissed so often now.

- - mom101628 said
  - 17 Dec 2019
    10:21 pm
I know older kids like playing with slinkies, but I never realised they could expand to the degree that they could get caught around a child’s neck, and I bet I’m not the only one.
Instead of being abusive to this mum, people should be thanking her for pointing out something probably none of us would expect to happen.
I know children should be watched 100% of the time, but it just can’t happen if you have more than 1 child – and that’s pre mobile phones and social media.

- - ashna9 said
  - 17 Dec 2019
    3:55 pm
I find these dangerous for lots of age levels. Parents can only watch their kids so much. Accidents do happen!

- - ella12 said
  - 17 Dec 2019
    3:02 pm
I’m glad to hear the little one is alright.

- - anna213795 said
  - 17 Dec 2019
    7:50 am
Why are people posting abusive comments! Parents can be so judgmental, it’s impossible to watch your kids 100% of the time

- - Jbuttxx said
  - 17 Dec 2019
    7:42 am
oh my gosh this is scary as! I’m glad for the happy ending tho. a lesson for us all