SEATTLE – Two more families have sued a New Jersey company that makes a popular magnetic toy, alleging that the tiny, powerful magnets came loose and were swallowed by their children, who suffered severe injuries when the magnets reattached in their intestines.
The Magnetix building toys already have been implicated in the death of a 22-month-old Redmond boy in November. His parents sued in King County Superior Court.
The two additional lawsuits were filed in U.S. District Court on Wednesday. Joe and Mechelle Booke of Oak Harbor said their 4-year-old son, Kyle, had to have a section of his intestine removed this month and spent two weeks at Children’s Hospital in Seattle.
Angela and Julius McNeil of Tacoma said their 31/2-year-old son, Marcell, began complaining of flulike symptoms in May. Over the next two days, his stomachache became more severe, and he vomited violently. Doctors at Madigan Army Medical Center performed emergency surgery to remove three magnets that had bonded across the walls of his intestine.
“One child harmed by this toy is a tragedy, but three in the past year, all in this one area, is unimaginable,” Angela McNeil said in a statement. “It’s important that parents understand the real dangers of having a Magnetix set in their household.”
Kenny Sweet of Redmond died after swallowing magnets from a Magnetix set that had been given to his 10-year-old brother. The toys are recommended for children age 6 and older, and carry a choking warning for children under 3, but don’t warn about what can happen if more than one magnet is swallowed, lawyers for the families said.
The lawsuits name RoseArt Inc. of Livingston, N.J., and its parent corporation, MegaBloks, of Toronto. They allege the toys are defective and that the magnets should be better secured.
A RoseArt spokesman did not immediately return a call seeking comment after business hours Wednesday.
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