The toy, called Evilstick and packaged in cheerful colors, promises “The luster of beauty” and “Wonderful music,” but a small pink button on the flower-shaped wand activates flashing lights and witch-like cackles.
Behind the mirror foil is the image of the girl. Red eyes, fangs, and blood are photoshopped onto the picture.
“I’m outraged over it,” said Allen. “I want to know how they think this is suitable for a child.”
Allen said she did not realize what the toy was until her one-year-old son ripped the mirror off of it and exposed the image more clearly.
The owner of the store, Amar Moustafa, said he was not aware of the details of the product.
Moustafa said that Allen should have inspected the toy more closely and taken note of the name before purchasing it for her daughter.
Moustafa said the Evilstick may have been a leftover Halloween toy but, when we visited the store on Thursday, they were placed with barbie dolls, tiaras, and other girly toys.
Parents’ greatest concern, said shopper Tina Musgrove, is that — whatever the name — the toy trivializes a method of self-harm used by many American teenagers.
“You don’t want to think about little girls picking that up and thinking this is normal, or funny, or interesting,” Musgrove said.
According to the package, the toy is intended for “ages 3 and up,” but Allen and Musgrove agreed that it should not be used by a child of any age.
Moustafa said that, while he would not buy the toy for a toddler, he thinks that it is okay for older kids. “They see that stuff on TV every day,” he said.
Allen wants the toy taken off the shelves and Moustafa said that, if he begins receiving complaints directly from customers, he will remove it.
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