A nine-year old boy suffered second-degree burns on the bottom of his feet and his mother is saying it was due to his light-up sneakers.
Sherry Foster took to Facebook to share pictures of her son’s injuries and she said they occurred after the sneakers got wet during his school’s Water Day.
Her son was wearing Sketcher’s “Skech Rayz” light up shoes on the date the injury was reported, June 24.
Speaking to Metro.co.uk, Mrs. Foster had this to say:
“When the sneakers got wet that caused them to release a chemical that burnt the bottom of his feet. He did not complain to his teacher. He waited until the next day until he came home to tell us.”
She also said that prior to this event the family never had any issue with the shoe.
“His specific shoe, the Skech Rayz, had an on and off switch,” Foster told CafeMom. “If parents buy these, I recommend they do not get them wet or jump in puddles. I know kids love them because of the cool lights but be careful.”
Foster and her husband, who between them have eight other children, took him to their pediatrician who then referred the family to a foot specialist who had previous experience with the injury. Mrs. Foster told Fox News the specialist they went to see prescribed the youngster a antibiotic cream for the next three weeks and a steroid for two weeks.
Foster, in an e-mail to Fox News said, “I was not warned or had any idea that this could happen, I mean they are shoes made for kids. My son is a trooper. He is tough as tough gets being it was the first day of summer vacation and he has to have his feet wrapped and is unable to play with his friends or brothers.”
Sketchers, through a statement provided to CafeMom, had this to say:
Skechers footwear products are rigorously tested for safety. Skechers, a family brand, has sold millions of pairs of children’s lighted footwear worldwide and has not had one incident of chemical burns reported. Notwithstanding, Ms. Foster’s Facebook post was brought to our attention Friday, June 29, we immediately contact her, inquired about her son, and asked her to send us the shoes so we can determine whether the shoes contributed to her son’s injuries. Ms. Foster has agreed to send us the shoes, and we will continue our investigation. Despite the lack of any other similar reported incidents, we are taking this complaint very seriously and giving it the highest priority.
Should they chose, it seems the Foster family could be on the verge of having the legal leverage to file a lawsuit. It seems to be in the vein of when McDonald’s was sued over hot coffee.
