While most kids his age were busy playing with their new toys and gadgets they got on Christmas, four-year-old Beck was stuck in a hospital bed, recovering from life-saving surgery.
Jennifer White, the boy's mother, initially thought that her son was sick with the flu, but when he "started to vomit a very dark color" that resembled coffee grounds, she knew his condition was bad.
White and her husband immediately took their son to a nearby hospital, and an x-ray confirmed that Beck needed to undergo emergency surgery at the children's hospital in Milwaukee.
Turns out, he had swallowed 13 magnets, which he got from a popular toy that many people are made to believe is safe for young kids.
While in his intestines, the magnets tried to attach to one another and "created holes in the lining," which led to a serious infection. As a result, Beck had to have parts of his colon, intestines, and appendix removed.
White told local news station WTMJ-TV that she and her husband are very careful about which toys they bring home because Beck has autism. They even tested the toy to make sure it wouldn't pose a threat, but they could've never predicted the way things unfolded.
"I really thought these were safe," the mom said. "Absolutely thought he would be OK. If I had an inkling that this would have happen I would have just got rid of them."
White later took to Facebook to share her experience and warn her fellow parents and caregivers about the dangers of magnetic toys, not just for children, but also for pets.
"I feel guilty AF and horrible posting this but I don't want another child to go through this. If you have little ones or chewers these are dangerous and we're removing them from our home. Dogs could also break these open too."
At the time of her last update on December 27, doctors ordered Beck to remain in the hospital for "3-4 days" because they needed to restart his bowels and watch for infection. White revealed that her son is still considered "high risk," before asking for prayers.
In case you were curious, the triangular piece that Beck got the magnets from appear to be part of a Tiles Stem Education Magnetic Blocks set.
