A Plea to All Parents: Beware of the 'Hot Water Challenge'

Parents, be warned: Thanks to YouTube, there's a dangerous new trend kids are trying that has left one child dead and another in the hospital.

The "Hot Water Challenge" dares children to consume or douse each other in boiling water. While hopefully an adult could understand that such a dare is extremely unsafe, kids with internet access might not have the same thought process.

Gone are the days of silly sleepover pranks like freezing a friend's bra or dipping someone's fingers in warm water. Last Monday, Jamoneisha Merritt, an 11-year-old girl, was admitted to the hospital with second-degree burns on her face, neck, shoulders and chest after her 12-year-old friend doused her in boiling water while she slept.

NBC News affiliate, NBC4, reports Jamoneisha's cousin, Yolanda Richardson, said Jamoneisha and the 12-year-old had been arguing prior to the incident.

"[They] got into an argument and [the 12-year-old] told her if [Jamoneisha] goes to sleep, they were going to do something to her," Yolanda said.

The unnamed 12-year-old girl who poured the water on Jamoneisha was arrested and charged with assault.

Sadly, Jamoneisha's injuries aren't the only unfortunate outcome from the Hot Water Challenge; last month, an 8-year-old girl, Ki'ari Pope, died from complications five months after drinking boiling hot water through a straw.

Getting ready for a vigil in honor of 8yo Kiari Pope. In March, Kiari drank boiling water on a dare. She died on Monday. @WPBF25News pic.twitter.com/07IIE3NNF8

— Ari Hait (@wpbf_ari) August 5, 2017

According to the Sun Sentinel, the Florida girl had trouble breathing on Sunday, July 30 and was rushed to the hospital, where resuscitators tried to revive her for 40 minutes before she was pronounced dead.

Ki'ari's mother, Marquisia Bonner, says Ki'ari suffered complications following the dare she took from her cousin in March after they watched a video on YouTube of someone drinking boiling water from a straw.

In March, Ki'ari had emergency surgery on her windpipe to clear the scar tissue from drinking the hot water, but her mother says the tracheotomy left her with trouble breathing and talking.