Overview

• On July 7, a child climbed headfirst into a prize chute at the Mason Community Center’s claw machine and became trapped among the stuffed toys.
• Mason Police and Fire Department responders removed the machine’s back panel within minutes to safely extract the boy, who required no medical treatment.
• Community center staff had wheeled the machine into a nearby store and secured its gate while awaiting the arrival of first responders.
• The claw machine was returned to operation later that same day after minimal interruption.
• The incident has prompted fresh discussion about redesigning arcade prize machines to reduce entrapment risks.