I kicked out my family for a prank that risked my daughter's life

"They hid something that should never be hidden."

Kids (and adults alike) play pranks, but they often go wrong. One mum has shared just how dangerous one was for her child with allergies.

Worst of all, family members were responsible for risking her life.

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"It wasn't where she'd put it"

Writing to an online group, the mum explains that her brother and nephew were living with them after her brother lost his job. 

"My brother considers himself a jokester, and it was funny when we were kids, but in my opinion, it's immature at his age. He's passed this on to his nine-year-old son (Eli), whose favourite prank is hiding other people's things."

Her daughter, Naomi, 12, is anaphylactic to many thigs, so her EpiPen is usually with her and needs to be accessible at all times. The whole family is aware of this and appreciate the significance - or so she thought. 

"One day, Eli hid Naomi's EpiPen, and she freaked out. She wasn't having an allergic reaction at the time, but still. The thing is, the EpiPen was on a shelf that Eli was too short to reach."

Father and son are kicked out after pulling dangerous prank. Source: iStock

She couldn't believe her adult brother had helped in the prank and warned him that if they were ever to do it again, she would kick them out.

"I explained again how Naomi could die without it, and my brother seemed to understand."

But the prank was played again soon after... and this time, the life-saving injection was missing during a severe reaction.

"She needed her EpiPen, and it wasn’t where she’d put it. Eli rushed up to the guest room to get it, and thank goodness we could inject her before things progressed.

"After I was done helping my daughter, I told my brother to get packing. He said that I wasn’t being fair because Eli had stolen it this time, that it was just a prank, he's just a little kid."

She admits her family is annoyed with her, and called her heartless for kicking them out over a kid's prank. 

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"Your daughter could have died"

Thousands rushed to support the mother, given the seriousness of the prank. 

"You don't play with people's lifesaving medical devices," one wrote, plain and simple. 

Another added, "Nine years is plenty old enough to understand that's not okay," 

"You’d think so, wouldn’t you?" the OP replied. 

One mother had a terrifying thought: "Imagine if you hadn't been home, though… That thought chills me even more; your nephew would have had to live with it, and your brother would be in guilt or denial of what he taught his son."

"Does everyone mad at you even get the fact that your daughter could have died?" another agreed. 

"Pranks are supposed to be funny. This could have cost your daughter her life," another mum rightfully wrote. 

Others questioned the maturity of her brother. 

"I wonder if the brother lost his job because of pranking people at work?" read one suggestion. 

"Brother could have explained why stealing the EpiPen wasn't a funny prank and endanger someone," another agreed. 

Finally, this person wondered, "Can you keep the son and lose the dad? Feels like the boy needs a break from his dad's behaviour."

Originally published as I kicked out my family for a prank that risked my daughter's life