A 13-year-old boy in New Zealand narrowly escaped death after Swallowing 100 High-Power Magnets purchased online, in what doctors describe as one of the most severe cases of magnet ingestion ever seen in the country. The incident has sparked renewed concern about the safety of online marketplaces and the continued circulation of banned high-powered magnetic toys, despite strict national regulations.
According to a detailed case report published in the New Zealand Medical Journal, the magnets caused extensive internal damage, forcing surgeons to remove multiple sections of necrotic, or dead, bowel tissue in a complex operation that lasted several hours. Doctors at Tauranga Hospital, located on New Zealand’s North Island, said the unnamed teenager arrived at the emergency department after four days of severe abdominal pain. Initially, his symptoms were vague and could have been mistaken for a viral infection or a mild gastrointestinal condition.
However, after a series of diagnostic scans, physicians were horrified to discover that dozens of tiny magnetic balls—each measuring only a few millimeters in diameter—had clumped together inside the child’s intestines. These magnets had formed four distinct straight lines, adhering different parts of the bowel together through powerful magnetic attraction. The discovery led to an urgent surgical intervention that revealed extensive internal injury.
A Dangerous Trend Hidden in Plain Sight
The magnets, identified as 5x2mm neodymium spheres, have been banned in New Zealand since January 2013 due to their extreme risk to children and teenagers. When more than one of these magnets are swallowed, they can attract each other through layers of intestinal tissue, compressing the bowel walls and cutting off blood supply to affected regions. This process can lead to bowel perforation, internal bleeding, sepsis, and, in severe cases, death. Despite these dangers, the magnets remain easily available online through international e-commerce platforms.
The medical report indicated that the boy had bought the magnets from Temu, a Chinese-founded online shopping platform that has rapidly gained popularity worldwide for its low-cost products. Although Temu has stated that it is investigating the incident, the case raises serious questions about the company’s safety protocols and compliance with local product regulations.
According to the hospital’s medical team, the child admitted to ingesting “approximately 80 to 100” of the tiny magnets over a week before seeking help. By the time he arrived at the hospital, the magnets had already caused necrosis—tissue death—in four separate areas of his small intestine and in the caecum, the first part of the large intestine.
The hospital’s report underscored that this was not a simple case of accidental ingestion. The boy reportedly consumed the magnets out of curiosity, possibly influenced by online trends or product demonstrations that show the magnets’ ability to form intricate shapes. Such behavior, though seemingly harmless, can quickly turn deadly. “This case highlights not only the dangers of magnet ingestion but also the dangers of the online marketplace for our pediatric population,” wrote the report’s authors, Dr. Binura Lekamalage, Dr. Lucinda Duncan-Were, and Dr. Nicola Davis.
The 13-year-old told doctors the magnets he swallowed were purchased from the overseas online marketplace Temu. @aucklandunihttps://t.co/CPBmW9ukpA pic.twitter.com/A3olhMRsNX
— ScienceAlert (@ScienceAlert) October 25, 2025
The dangers of magnet ingestion are well documented across the world. In recent years, several countries have reported an uptick in similar incidents, often linked to magnetic toys marketed as desk ornaments or “stress-relief” gadgets. Ingesting multiple magnets can lead to rapid deterioration, requiring emergency surgery. The attraction between the magnets can pinch or trap tissue, creating pressure points that cut off circulation and lead to gangrene. In this boy’s case, surgeons were forced to remove several centimeters of bowel that had already turned black due to tissue death, followed by careful reconstruction of the digestive tract.
A Race Against Time in the Operating Room
Once the severity of the situation became clear, the Tauranga Hospital surgical team mobilized swiftly. Surgeons performed an emergency laparotomy—a major operation involving an incision into the abdomen—to assess the extent of internal damage. Inside, they found that several loops of bowel were stuck together, held firmly by the magnetic force of the ingested spheres. The pressure had caused perforations and widespread necrosis, meaning parts of the intestinal wall had died due to lack of blood flow.
Doctors carefully separated the magnets, a process described as both delicate and dangerous. “The risk of further tearing or spreading infection was extremely high,” one of the authors noted in the medical journal. Each section of damaged intestine was evaluated, and where the tissue could not be saved, it was removed. The operation required meticulous repair of the digestive system to prevent future complications such as leakage or obstruction.
The boy spent eight days in the hospital recovering from surgery. During that time, he was closely monitored for signs of infection, internal bleeding, and postoperative complications. Thankfully, he responded well to treatment and was able to return home. However, his ordeal is far from over. The medical team warned that such injuries can lead to long-term problems, including bowel obstruction, abdominal hernias, chronic pain, and nutritional deficiencies. In severe cases, patients may require additional surgeries later in life to address scarring or adhesions caused by the initial operation.
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Magnet ingestion emergencies have become an increasingly recognized issue in pediatric medicine. While younger children tend to swallow small objects out of curiosity, older children and adolescents may do so intentionally—sometimes as part of viral challenges seen on social media. These “magnet bead” trends, in which participants simulate tongue piercings or jewelry using small magnets, have been particularly concerning.
Though authorities have repeatedly warned of the dangers, online access to such products continues to undermine local bans and safety measures. In response to the incident, Temu issued a statement expressing regret and pledging to cooperate with authorities. “We have launched an internal review and reached out to the authors of the New Zealand Medical Journal article to obtain more details about the case,” a Temu spokesperson said.
“At this stage, we have not been able to confirm whether the magnets involved were purchased through Temu or identify the specific product listing. Nonetheless, our teams are reviewing relevant listings to ensure full compliance with local safety requirements.” The company’s response highlights a growing tension between global e-commerce platforms and national regulators, who often struggle to enforce product safety standards across borders.
Calls for Stronger Regulation and Public Awareness
The boy’s case has reignited debate in New Zealand about the effectiveness of existing bans and the enforcement of product safety laws in the digital age. While the sale of high-powered neodymium magnets has been illegal in the country for over a decade, the global nature of online marketplaces makes these restrictions difficult to uphold. Consumers can easily order restricted products from overseas sellers that may not be subject to local regulations. In many cases, listings use vague or misleading descriptions to bypass automatic filters and detection systems.
Public health experts argue that stronger international cooperation and accountability are needed to prevent similar tragedies. Pediatric surgeon Dr. Nicola Davis, one of the authors of the report, emphasized that magnet ingestion is “a preventable injury that requires global coordination between healthcare systems and online retailers.” She added that even though healthcare professionals have become more vigilant in identifying the symptoms of magnet ingestion, early detection remains difficult because children may hesitate to admit what they have swallowed.
The New Zealand Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE), which oversees product safety standards, is expected to review the case and determine whether enforcement action is warranted. The agency may also issue new guidelines for online sellers operating within the country. Internationally, the case adds to growing pressure on e-commerce giants—including Temu, Amazon, and AliExpress—to strengthen screening processes for hazardous or banned products.
The New Zealand Medical Journal report also warns that online accessibility of dangerous items creates a hidden risk for families who may assume that products available for purchase are automatically safe or compliant with national laws. The authors noted that while many online platforms display disclaimers or age restrictions, these are often ineffective in practice. Children and teenagers can easily bypass such measures, and parents may not always be aware of the risks posed by seemingly harmless objects like magnetic beads.
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Consumer advocacy groups have repeatedly called for tighter controls, including mandatory product testing, improved reporting mechanisms, and penalties for platforms that allow banned items to be listed. In Australia, similar incidents prompted the government to enforce strict penalties against sellers of unsafe magnets, leading to a sharp decline in related injuries. Experts say that comparable enforcement in New Zealand and other markets could save lives.
Beyond legal reform, medical professionals stress the importance of education. Parents, teachers, and healthcare workers need to understand the potential consequences of swallowing high-powered magnets and to communicate these dangers clearly to children. Campaigns highlighting real-life cases—like that of the Tauranga boy—can help raise awareness and prevent future incidents. “If this story stops even one child from swallowing magnets, it will have made a difference,” said Dr. Lekamalage.
The boy’s ordeal also underscores the broader risks of unregulated digital marketplaces, which have repeatedly been accused of listing counterfeit or hazardous goods. Temu, which has seen explosive growth in markets such as the United States, Europe, and New Zealand, has faced mounting scrutiny from regulators over product safety, data privacy, and labor concerns. The European Commission recently issued warnings to the platform for failing to prevent the sale of unsafe products, echoing concerns now being voiced in New Zealand.
Experts note that enforcement is particularly challenging because many of these platforms operate through networks of independent third-party sellers, making it difficult to trace responsibility. While Temu’s response to the New Zealand case suggests a willingness to cooperate, questions remain about the effectiveness of its internal monitoring systems. Until stronger global frameworks are established, the risk of dangerous items slipping through online marketplaces will persist.
In the meantime, the Tauranga case serves as a sobering reminder of the consequences of unchecked digital commerce and the real-world harm that can result. A few tiny magnetic balls—harmless-looking, cheap, and easily accessible—were enough to threaten the life of a young teenager and force doctors to perform life-saving surgery.
For the boy and his family, the experience has been devastating but, ultimately, life-saving. For the rest of the world, it stands as a warning about the unseen hazards lurking behind the convenience of the online marketplace and the urgent need to protect the most vulnerable users from its hidden dangers.