But instead of using nontoxic, 1,5-pentanediol, the Chinese company charged with manufacturing Aqua Beads substituted 1,4-butanediol. When ingested, the chemical metabolized into gamma-hydroxybutyric ...

U.S. officials said Friday seven more reports of children have become ill after ingesting toy beads containing a powerful chemical that metabolizes into a potent date-rape drug.

Four months later, the manufacturer, Spin Master Inc., and its Canadian sister company Spin Master LLC, pulled Aqua Dots from the shelves after two other toddlers swallowed beads and went into ...

Aqua Dots would seem inadvisable for little kids even if the toy didn’t release a date-rape drug when ingested. The thing’s basic component is small beads.

Reports of children becoming unconscious after swallowing Aqua Dots beads led to a voluntary recall of the product in November 2007. At the time, it was widely reported that the potentially toxic ...