TikTok Bucket Prank Puts Woman in Hospital
A California woman was hospitalized last weekend after she was the victim of a TikTok prank taken too far. Lana Clay-Monoghan was shopping at a Target store when a group of teenagers snuck up behind her and put a bucket over her head, imitating a trending prank making the rounds on social media. Clay-Monoghan had a particularly strong reaction, losing consciousness right there in the aisle.
Clay-Monoghan shared her story with local Fox News affiliate KTTV and it has caught interest around the country. She said that she was in the baby aisle at the Target in Tustin, California on Sunday when all her senses went completely haywire. She described a moment of sheer panic as her vision went black, her hearing was muffled and her sense of space was completely disoriented. She began to hyperventilate and plead for help, but said that she could hear a few voices nearby laughing.
Clay-Monoghan says that she managed to get the bucket off of her head for a moment before she passed out. She recalls seeing a few people watching and laughing, and she could tell they were filming her by the light coming off of their phones. She then passed out and fell the floor, only to awaken later in the hospital with no idea what had happened.
The Tustin Police Department quickly recognized what Clay-Monoghan had experienced as the "bucket challenge," a recent trend on TikTok and other social media platforms. Police began seeking out the teens responsible, believing they were all boys around middle school age. Witnesses saw a group of boys fleeing the scene after Clay-Monoghan passed out, and Target voluntarily handed over security footage to help the police identify them.
It is not clear how long Clay-Monoghan stayed in the hospital nor what she was treated for. She had given birth to twins recently before this incident, which is why she was in the baby aisle. She told reporters that she does want these perpetrators held responsible for their actions so that others will consider the line between a prank and an assault more carefully.
"This can not happen, we have to talk to our children," she said. "It's not funny to go find someone vulnerable who is smaller, alone, unexpecting, and for your own pleasure, to film them to strive to get a reaction."
Target issued a statement as well, saying: "The safety of our guests and team members is Target's top priority. Our hearts go out to the victim of this incident and we appreciate the efforts of our team members who provided immediate assistance."Our hearts go out to the victim of this incident and we appreciate the efforts of our team members who provided immediate assistance."