Mother Files Lawsuit Against Mattel for Pornographic Misprint on Wicked Dolls
A mother in South Carolina is taking legal action against Mattel after a mistake on the packaging of a doll led her daughter to a pornographic website. The company had released singing dolls in advance of the release of the film Wicked, featuring Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande.
Mattel issued an apology for the error and promptly recalled the dolls. However, Holly Ricketson filed a civil lawsuit on behalf of her daughter, alleging that the mistaken website address on the packaging resulted in her daughter accessing explicit adult content.
The court documents state that this mistake made the dolls unsuitable for their intended use, and the lawsuit claims that Mattel has failed to offer any refunds for the error. Ms. Ricketson expressed that she would not have purchased the doll had she known about the error.
The lawsuit seeks $5 million in damages for anyone in the US who purchased the dolls with the incorrect website address on the packaging. In addition to negligence and violation of consumer protection laws, the lawsuit accuses Mattel of selling products that are not fit for sale.
The musical Wicked, a popular adaptation based on a book that reimagines the Wicked Witch of the West’s backstory, has been a hit on Broadway and the West End for years. The recent film adaptation, starring Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, has seen significant success at the box office since its release last month.
Mattel has expressed deep regret for the mistake and has been asked for comment on the lawsuit.
