"It's terrifying to think what could have happened to a child": A woman shares her experience of a magic wand exploding in her hands.

When, as a teenager, Marina from Rostov watched movies about Harry Potter, she probably never thought that "magic outside Hogwarts" is not only forbidden but also dangerous.

The 38-year-old woman, mother of a six-year-old son and a three-year-old daughter, decided to bring a little wonder into her children's lives and ordered a toy that literally exploded in her hands, leaving her now with a cast.

Marina shared her story with a correspondent from “KP — Rostov-on-Don,” in which the children miraculously remained unharmed, hoping it will help protect others.

The six-year-old son of the Rostov woman was inspired by the image of a wizard after visiting a themed exhibition.

Photo: Mikhail FROLOV. Go to the KP Photo Bank

HE CHOSE THE COSTUME AND THE MAGIC WAND HIMSELF

Marina is a person who brings joy to others. She works as an event organizer and was happy to introduce her children to the universe of the book from her school years.

- We visited an exhibition on the books and movies about “Harry Potter,” and my son was really excited by the atmosphere. He asked me to buy him a magic wand and an outfit like the students of “Hogwarts.” He chose what he liked online, - Marina recounts.

Of course, the mother is not a magician, just learning. But she decided to procure magical attributes with ordinary Muggle, or non-magical, money.

- I made sure that the seller had been trading on the marketplace for a long time, had a high rating, and there were no complaints about the quality of the goods. So I decided to place an order.

She bought a student costume from the brave and noble house - “Gryffindor,” complete with a robe, a scarf in scarlet and gold colors, a school tie, and round glasses like the “boy who lived.” She separately purchased a magical “shooting” wand.

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The toy caused serious injury.

Photo: Personal archive of the publication hero.

THE MAGIC ENDED. CHARGING REQUIRED

- On January 22, I picked up the order from the pickup point and handed it to my son around noon. He played under my supervision. He particularly liked the magic wand. It has a heating element, and a small piece of self-igniting paper for tricks needs to be inserted into the hole at its tip — it came with the set. When the button is pressed, a small flame bursts out. The wand itself did not heat up in my hands.

My daughter didn’t like the “shooting” wand. But it took my son an hour to play enough and completely drain the “magical” tool. In the evening, the little one wanted to play again, so I put the purchase on charge.

- The set came with a USB cable without a charger, so I plugged my charger into the socket. About forty minutes later, I came to check.

But the Rostov woman didn’t take into account that “the wand chooses the wizard,” and if it decided that it was her son, it wouldn’t work in her hands. Instead of the spell “Accio,” a whole “Bombarda Maxima” occurred. There was a deafening sound.

- The toy just exploded in my hand. I was in shock, but first, I checked on the kids. They were unharmed — sitting a distance away on the couch. My daughter didn’t really understand what had happened, but my son’s ear got blocked. Mom rushed over and gasped. I felt a sharp pain: one nail couldn’t hold on to my ring finger, and another turned black.

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Now Marina's working left hand will be in a cast for a month.

Photo: Personal archive of the publication hero.

“THE SELLER IS HELPING WITH TREATMENT”

Marina didn’t rush to the hospital at night. In the morning, she first messaged the seller and went to the trauma center.

- I also filed a report with the police and underwent a forensic medical examination to assess the severity of the injury. An X-ray showed a fracture of the thumb. My left hand was injured, and it’s my working hand. They put a cast on me for three to four weeks. I had another appointment with the doctor today.

That same day, the seller contacted Marina.

- He sympathizes and is helping with the treatment. I believe he is not at fault in this situation, as there have been no similar incidents with the toys — magic wands. I suspect a defective battery was in the device — I submitted it for technical examination. But my main conclusion is that I won’t be buying toys with electrical elements from China; it’s better to choose Russian ones and from other countries in the Customs Union. I also urge other parents to be cautious when selecting toys.

I am glad that this wand exploded in my hands and not in the hands of a child; one could lose fingers. It’s terrifying to imagine the consequences. It’s better to learn from others’ mistakes, so I hope my example helps others.

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The X-ray confirmed a fracture of the left thumb.

Photo: Maria LENTZ. Go to the KP Photo Bank