A five-month old baby girl was rushed to a hospital after an appalling “prank” by two teenagers on e-bikes went horrifically wrong on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast last Sunday (June 15).
What began as a normal day for mother Tiffani Teasdale turned into a nightmare when the teens pulled up beside her car, which had stopped at a red light, and stuck a fire extinguisher through her rear window.
Highlights
- A 5-month-old baby girl was hospitalized after teens sprayed a fire extinguisher powder into her car on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast.
- Baby Pixie was covered in chemical powder; doctors flushed her eyes and she spent a night in hospital.
- The victim's breathing remains impaired while her attackers are yet to be apprehended.
They released a blast of thick, chemical-laced powder directly into her vehicle—and the face of her infant daughter, Pixie. The teenagers then escaped.
Teenagers put the life of five-month old baby in risk after sticking a fire extinguisher through her mother’s car window and spraying away
Image credits: tutye/Adobe Stock (Not the actual photo)
The mother recounted the horrific event in an interview with local media.
“The car just filled up with gas and white powder straight away,” Ms. Teasdale said. “[Pixie] was completely covered in white powder and just looked like she was in shock, she wasn’t even crying.”
Image credits: India News HD
The shocked mother immediately rushed her daughter to the hospital, where medical staff had to flush Pixie’s eyes with 100ml of saline solution to remove the harsh chemical residue.
“The doctors had to hold her down for me because it was the most horrible thing I’ve ever heard,” she said. “No one should have to go through that.”
Pixie had to spend the night on the establishment, and was discharged early Monday morning. However, according to Ms. Teasdale, her face remains red, her eyes swollen, and her breathing “wheezy” even after treatment.
Image credits: Tiffani Teasdale/Facebook
“She was just sitting there, helpless. What kind of person does that to a baby?” Ms. Teasdale wrote on a local community page.
“I’m all for young people having fun, but this? This could have blinded her. It could have claimed the life of someone with asthma. A five-second dopamine rush is not worth someone’s life.”
Authorities are urging people to come forward with any piece of information that could help locate the suspects
Image credits: Tiffani Teasdale/Facebook
Authorities found the fire extinguisher used to gas Pixie further down the road. Investigators are expected to look into the object for prints that could be used to identify and apprehend the culprits.
According to reports, the damage from the blast was extensive. The interior of the car was blanketed in a thick coat of chemical powder, rendering Pixie’s pram, tos, and nappy bag unusable.
The community has rallied behind the affected family. For instance, Grime Busters, a local car detailing company, has stepped into help, offering to clean the vehicle for free after learning of the attack.
Queensland police are urging anyone with information to come forward. As of today’s morning (June 16) no arrests have been made.
Image credits: Tiffani Teasdale/Facebook
The story has ignited widespread outrage online, with many calling for tougher consequences for juvenile offenders engaging in reckless and harmful behavior.
“Sadly, even if caught, they will be given a warning only and no conviction whilst remaining anonymous,” another added.
The attack is part of a viral trend of “pranks” posted to social media channels involving fire extinguishers
Image credits: tiffaniskye_
The disturbing attack on baby Pixie is just the latest in a string of so-called “pranks” involving fire extinguishers—an alarming trend that has gained traction on social media over the last decade.
Since at least 2010, videos of people spraying each other—and sometimes unsuspecting strangers—with fire extinguishers have gone viral on platforms like TikTok.
The clips often feature clouds of chemical powder engulfing rooms, vehicles, or public spaces, all in the name of fleeting internet fame.
Image credits: tiffaniskye_
In 2022, a video posted by the account @ishmeboolu showed a teenager unleashing a fire extinguisher inside a packed New York City subway car.
Similarly to the attack on Pixie, the blast was sprayed directly at a baby in a stroller, along with a small puppy sitting near the child.
Image credits: tiffaniskye_
“That’s not a prank. That’s an attack,” one outraged viewer commented at the time. “The kid could’ve stopped breathing.”
Image credits: tiffaniskye_
“My first child is 5 months old this week. There’s already so many dangers and developmentally problematic areas in this world for babies to worry about like illness, SIDS, respiratory issues,” another said.
“Watching him thoughtlessly spray the stroller fills me with an anger I’ve never known.”
"Consequences need to be severe." Netizens called for the suspects to face justice
