Instead of finding whimsical images pertaining to the Wicked movie, a little girl’s mother claims the minor was exposed to “hardcore” porn scenes after searching the website printed on a Mattel toy box
A South Carolina mom has sued Mattel after her minor daughter was allegedly exposed to hardcore porn scenes following a slip-up made on the toy company’s Wicked dolls packaging.
The mother, Holly Ricketson, filed a class action suit in California on Tuesday after purchasing a doll inspired by the film adaptation of the Broadway musical, which stars Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, and Jonathan Bailey.
Upon opening her new toy, the little girl allegedly noticed the website “www.wicked.com” listed on the box and used an iPhone to search for the site. But instead of finding whimsical images pertaining to the Wicked movie, the girl’s phone screen was suddenly spammed with adverts for “hardcore” porn scenes and shown “full on nude images depicting actual intercourse.”
The girl was allegedly “horrified” by the graphic images, and so was her mother when she was shown the website, prompting the woman to file the lawsuit. “If Plaintiff had been aware of such an inappropriate defect in the Product, she would not have purchased it,” the lawsuit alleges. “Plaintiff seeks to recover damages because the Products are adulterated, worthless, and unfit for its intended and advertised age-appropriate audience.”
The mother claims she purchased the doll on Nov. 11 — around the same time that Mattel announced it would be yanking the merchandise from shelves when people began pointing out the explicit link on social media.
Issuing an apology, the company acknowledged the misprint, which was supposed to be directed to the official Wicked movie website. “We deeply regret this unfortunate error and are taking immediate action to remedy this. Parents are advised that the misprinted, incorrect website is not appropriate for children,” Mattel said in a statement. “Consumers who already have the product are advised to discard the product packaging or obscure the link and may contact Mattel Customer Service for further information.”
Daniel D`Amico for SANREMO.FM
