Casey to introduce legislation to ban water beads in Pennsylvania

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — A popular toy left a baby girl in Pennsylvania fighting for her life.

Now, her parents want everyone to hear their daughter's story, as her scare could soon lead to statewide change.

The dangers of water beads, a popular sensory toy for kids

Fighting for her life at just 1 year old, Harper's sickness and symptoms stumped doctors.

"When we first got there, they thought she had gastroenteritis, was just really sick," her mother, Whitney Reese, said.

For nearly two weeks, Harper got sicker and sicker with no answers.

"She was continuing to throw up," Reese said. "She was not having a bowel movement. She was not keeping anything down. Her vomit was starting to look and smell like stool."

That's when Reese thought about an obstruction. But when repeat X-rays showed nothing, she remembered throwing out her older son's water beads months ago.

"What if? What if she got her hands on one," she said.

Doctors found two swollen water beads blocking Harper's intestines.

"She had to go in then for her second surgery, where she ended up needing a small bowel resection because there was so much damage and inflammation to the area of the bowel where the water bead was," Reese said.

The healing process took time for Harper, but not every child heals. A growing community of parents on TikTok describe lifelong complications, even brain injuries. Reese is just one of the parents now pressuring lawmakers.

On Friday, Sen. Bob Casey will introduce legislation to ban water beads in Pennsylvania.

"This is the one thing that has just proven time and time again that it doesn't matter how careful you are," Reese said. "It doesn't matter if you have full supervision, because I had full supervision the entire time. It was never played without supervision, but all it takes is one little, tiny one of those water beats to get out and then they dry up to where you'll never find them."

Casey's bill is named after a little girl named Esther who, like Harper, swallowed a stray water bead that her older sibling had played with months earlier. Esther died. Now, Esther's Law aims to protect children in the future.