A lawsuit filed by a South Carolina mother against toy giant Mattel alleges emotional distress after her minor daughter accessed a pornographic website linked to a misprint on the Wicked dolls’ packaging. The suit seeks $5 million in damages.
Lawsuit Filed Against Mattel Over Unfortunate Misprint on Wicked Doll Packaging
Lawsuit Filed Against Mattel Over Unfortunate Misprint on Wicked Doll Packaging
A South Carolina mother is suing Mattel after her daughter was directed to a pornographic website due to a misprint on the packaging of a Wicked doll, prompting a recall from the company.
A South Carolina mother has taken legal action against toy manufacturer Mattel after her daughter inadvertently accessed a pornographic website due to a misprint on the packaging of a Wicked doll. The dolls were released last month to coincide with the film adaptation of the musical Wicked, featuring stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande.
Mattel publicly apologized for the “unfortunate error” and promptly initiated a recall of the affected dolls. However, Holly Ricketson, the mother in question, filed a civil lawsuit on Tuesday, bringing attention to her experience when her daughter found the adult entertainment website linked to the toy.
In court documents, Ricketson states that upon discovering the site—which contained “hardcore, full-on nude pornographic images”—she and her daughter were left "horrified." They reported experiencing emotional distress as a result of the incident. Ricketson's lawsuit characterizes the presence of the website as an “inexcusable error,” rendering the dolls unsuitable for their intended purpose.
The suit seeks $5 million in damages on behalf of all consumers in the United States who purchased the dolls with the erroneous information. It also alleges negligence on Mattel's part, stating that the company sold products unfit for consumer sale while also violating California's consumer protection laws. Notably, Ricketson remarked that she would have refrained from purchasing the doll if aware of the misprint beforehand.
Despite the apology and subsequent recall, Ricketson's lawyers highlight that the company has not yet offered refunds for the defective product. The Wicked dolls were released alongside the film adaptation of the long-running Broadway show, which opened in theaters in the US and UK on November 22 and has since amassed significant box office revenue.
Mattel has been approached for further comment regarding the lawsuit and the ongoing situation.
