A lawsuit has been filed against Mattel after a South Carolina mother discovered a porn site listed on the packaging of a doll intended for children.
Mattel Faces Lawsuit Over Inappropriate Web Address on Wicked Doll Packaging
Mattel Faces Lawsuit Over Inappropriate Web Address on Wicked Doll Packaging
Parents outraged after doll packaging mistakenly features a pornographic website.
In an unexpected twist, toy giant Mattel is facing legal action after the packaging of their newly released Wicked singing dolls included the address of a pornographic website. The dolls were launched in anticipation of the highly anticipated film adaptation of Wicked, featuring popular stars Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo. This incident prompted a swift apology from Mattel, labeling the situation as an “unfortunate error” and leading to a recall of the affected dolls.
The lawsuit was initiated by Holly Ricketson who claimed her minor daughter encountered the adult site printed on the doll’s packaging shortly after receiving it as a gift. According to Ricketson, the experience was shocking as the site contained “hardcore, full-on nude pornographic images,” which left them both “horrified.” Ricketson and her legal team allege that this incident caused significant emotional distress and have dubbed the printing error “inexcusable,” asserting that it rendered the dolls “unfit for their intended purpose.”
Court documents reveal that Ricketson is seeking $5 million in damages for all consumers who purchased the dolls with the offensive misprint. The lawsuit also highlights claims of negligence against Mattel, citing that they distributed merchandise deemed unsafe for sale and violated consumer protection laws in California.
Despite the recall and apology issued by the toy company, Ricketson expressed dissatisfaction over the lack of refund options provided to customers. She maintained that had she known of the error, she would have refrained from purchasing the doll.
The musical Wicked has been a staple in the theatrical world since its Broadway debut in 2003 and continues to captivate audiences across the globe. The film adaptation has already achieved impressive box office sales, raking in over $263 million in the United States since its recent release.
Mattel has yet to comment further as the lawsuit proceeds.
