And Tylenol generally relieve headaches, but back in the day, it occasionally gave you a case of the cyanides.
No jump to judgement. But exploding Jawbreakers? Odder things have happened.
I know this is going to sound stupid but I have seen jawbreaker look alike things sold at toy science stores that when you bang two of them together they make a spark and a loud pop. Not sure what they are but this little girl could have put one in her mouth thinking it was a jawbreak and have it explode. I’ll see if I can find a link to what I am talking about.
A company finally tries to live up to truth in advertising for their “jawbreaker” candies, and this is the thanks they get?
I do feel bad for the poor little kid, but I also think that Bosda might well deserve that rating from the Netherlands judge.
Did you even read the article Bosda? I think it’s a bit presumptuous to say the girl was tortured by her family when the above quote presents at least three other possibilities that are being investigated.
And I don’t know about you, but I hardly think that if I mutilated my child to the point of needing plastic surgery, that I’d immediately call the cops and present them with a cover story about exploding candy, of all things.
Liquid? Inside a jawbreaker… liquid…
They sure make jawbreakers different from when I was a kid!
Back then they were pure sugar, compacted to the approximate density of a neutron star. Now they have liquid in them?!?!
Come on, this is THE Straight Dope. Not just any ol’ straight dope. Let’s figure this out!
HOW in HELL does a JAWBREAKER EXPLODE?!?!!!
Seriously, I wanna know. Tell me. How can I make a jawbreaker that will explode, without altering it so much that it no longer looks like a jawbreaker?
Seriously, I cannot in my wildest imagination fathom a jawbreaker travelling at less than the speed of sound causing that kind of damage. While I won’t jump to the hasty conclusion of abusive parents, I suspect that we are not getting the entire story here.
First, for the “Let’s All Jump On Bosda The Minute He Steps In The Pit” Committee—bite me.
No exclaimation point, your feeble powers of abuse don’t rate one. :wally
On topic…
There’s an old saying, used in training physicians: “If you hear the sound of hoof-beats, look for horses, not for zebras.”
This means, in any given situation, before you consider the exotic, examine for the prosaic.
All Dopers should have this idea engraved upon their very hearts, for it is a grand concept, and a powerful tool in Fighting Ignorance.
The incidence of children, or indeed anybody, being injured by exploding candy is so low that it is essentially unheard-of.
The incidence of child abuse id frightfully high.
It is, therefore, far wiser to investigate this as a case of child abuse, rather than snooping for dynamite in jawbreakers.
belladonna writes–
On the contrary, it is typical. A person, possessed of out-of-control emotions goes way too far in abusing their child. Panicky, & not wanting to get caught with a murder rap, they get the poor kid to the ER.
And, as the attack is an unplanned act of an out-of-control person, they do not have a convincing or persuasive alibi.
Instead, the come up with the first piece of crap that enters their savage, rattling heads.
Instead of jawbreakers, it could have been a “stranger”, of another race or religion, that was dreamed up as an alibi. Or UFOs, for that matter. Anything to cover their dimwit asses.
Sure, but you’re a bit guilty of the very same thing. Before condemning the parents, could you at least collect some small amount of data and consider some other possibilities?