Feldman Shepherd Files Wrongful Death Lawsuit Against Target Following Toddler's Death from Swallowing Toy Water Bead

PHILADELPHIA, July 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Plaintiffs' personal injury law firm Feldman Shepherd Wohlgelernter Tanner Weinstock Dodig LLP filed a lawsuit against retail giant Target on behalf of the family of Esther Jo Bethard, a Wisconsin toddler who died at age 10 months after swallowing a single water bead from a Chuckle & Roar™ Ultimate Water Beads Activity Kit that was sold exclusively at Target retail stores nationwide and online.

The lawsuit, filed in District Court in Hennepin County, Minnesota, alleges Target knew that products containing Chuckle & Roar™ water beads posed a substantial risk of serious bodily injury or death to children if swallowed but failed to warn consumers such as the Bethards, even though a "stop sale" of the product had been issued following reports to Target of serious injuries to toddlers.

Esther's family purchased the Activity Kit at Target in April 2022 for use as a sensory toy by older children in the household. Esther managed to find and ingest the stray water bead even though the Activity Kit was used under adult supervision at all times and, when not in use, stored in a sealed bag inside its original packaging and kept on a high shelf.

According to the lawsuit, prior to Esther's death, Target received reports of two incidents where children suffered life-threatening injuries after swallowing Chuckle & Roar™ water beads. Target stopped selling the product on November 18, 2022, but failed to warn customers who had already purchased the Chuckle & Roar™ water beads of the danger, despite its ability to do so.  The Bethard family were members of Target's membership and rewards program, and Target could have easily contacted the Bethards and other similarly situated customers to advise them of the dangers of water beads. Had Target done so, Esther would still be alive.

As a direct consequence of Esther's preventable death, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission on September 14, 2023, announced a nationwide recall of approximately 52,000 Chuckle & Roar™ Ultimate Water Beads Activity Kits due to ingestion, choking and obstruction hazards.

Why Water Beads Are Hazardous to Young Children If Swallowed

Water beads were originally brought to market as an industrial agricultural product to maintain soil moisture, not for use as a toy.

They are sold in packages containing hundreds or thousands of tiny plastic beads. The beads are made of super-absorbent polymers that can retain hundreds of times their weight in water without dissolving. The beads start small and can increase their size by 150-1500 times after soaking in water. They are bright and colorful and have a candy-like appearance, which makes them appealing to young children.

If swallowed, water beads do not simply get digested and pass through a child's body. Instead, they absorb fluids and expand to many times their original size, potentially causing life-threatening intestinal and bowel obstructions and other serious injuries.

Both the American Academy of Pediatrics and the National Capital Poison Control Center have warned of the dangers of water bead toys.

The litigation is led by Feldman Shepherd product liability attorneys Alan M. Feldman, Daniel J. Mann, Edward S. Goldis and Samuel Mukiibi.

Mr. Mann said, "Target should demonstrate the same zeal for protecting children that it does in sending out marketing emails. This was a completely preventable tragedy."

To download a copy of the complaint CLICK HERE.

About Feldman Shepherd

Feldman Shepherd Wohlgelernter Tanner Weinstock Dodig LLP has recovered some of the largest verdicts and settlements in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and several other states across the country. The firm represents plaintiffs in significant personal injury and complex civil litigation including medical malpractice, birth injury, motor vehicle accidents, truck accidents, construction and workplace accidents, defective products, crashworthiness, class actions, and whistleblower claims.

SOURCE Feldman Shepherd Wohlgelernter Tanner Weinstock Dodig LLP