A 12-year-old boy in Pennsylvania was arrested after he poured boiling hot water on his younger sibling in what he claimed was part of a so-called TikTok “Hot Water Challenge”. The incident, which took place on July 29, left the 9-year-old with severe burns to his neck and chest and sent him to the Lehigh Burn Centre in Allentown for urgent treatment.
According to Lancaster Township Police, the older sibling heated water in a microwave before drenching his brother while he slept. He has since been charged with aggravated assault and recklessly endangering another person.
The “Hot Water Challenge”, as described by the suspect, allegedly involves someone either drinking extremely hot water, pouring it on themselves or pouring it on someone. While the boy’s explanation links his actions to social media, online reactions cast serious doubt on whether such a trend is currently circulating. Many commenters insisted they had never seen the challenge on TikTok and believed the act was deliberate.
“He wanted to hurt his brother… “There is no hot water challenge going around,” one user wrote, echoing dozens of similar responses. Others emphasised that at 12 years old, the boy was fully aware that boiling water would cause harm. “A 12-year-old knows better,” another remarked.
According to a news report, this is not the first time the phrase “hot water challenge” has made headlines. The New York Post reported that past cases have involved young people suffering serious burn injuries from doing a similar stunt. One particular 2018 incident involved a 15-year-old boy being doused by hot water in his sleep by his friend. As a result, he ended up with second-degree burns on his face, chest, and back.
Following the latest incident, police have urged families to closely monitor what kids are exposed to on social media and to talk with them about the dangers of harmful stunts.