A South Carolina mother, Holly Ricketson, has filed a lawsuit against toy giant Mattel over a major misprint on the packaging of their recently released Wicked dolls. The mistake featured the address of an adult website, resulting in her minor daughter stumbling upon shocking content. The dolls were part of the promotion for the eagerly awaited film adaptation of Wicked, starring Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo.
The lawsuit alleges that after seeing the link, the girl immediately showed her mom the adult site, displaying "hardcore, full-on nude pornographic images." The experience left them both horrified, and Ricketson's legal team claims that they have suffered emotional distress from the incident. Mattel has publicly apologized, labeling it an “unfortunate error” and has initiated a recall of the affected dolls.
Ricketson asserts that she would not have purchased the doll had she known about the mix-up. Moreover, the lawsuit is seeking $5 million in damages for everyone in the U.S. who bought the dolls with the inappropriate packaging. The allegations include negligence, selling unfit products, and violating consumer protection laws. Although Mattel has advised customers to dispose of the flawed packaging, many are still waiting for refunds. The controversy comes amidst the musical Wicked's resurgence, having been a hit on Broadway since 2003 and recently released as a film.
