US woman ends up in hospital after falling victim to dangerous TikTok trend

A US woman has warned about a TikTok trend after it took her to the hospital.

Lana Clay-Monaghan was shopping with her kids in a Southern California destination when a group of teenagers, influenced by TikTok, pranked her that landed her in the hospital.

She was looking at baby products when suddenly everything went dark. Something had been placed over her head.

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Confused, alone and scared, the mother of two twins could hear those around her laughing.

“I immediately felt something come over me — a human presence behind me,” she said.

“I started screaming. It was really abrupt. It really scared me.

“When I turned around, it was a group of males filming me.

“I know they filmed me because the (camera) light was on.

“They all had their phones and were laughing.”

Security camera footage from the store showed Clay-Monaghan was the victim of a new type of TikTok challenge.

In the trend prank, a bucket or basket is placed over the head of an unsuspecting person and their reaction is recorded

Clay-Monaghan, who suffers from epilepsy, struggled for several seconds to remove the bucket.

She passed out and later woke up in a hospital.

“As an epileptic, this was a particularly terrifying experience for me, and as a young mother shopping for her twins in the baby aisle in Target on a Sunday, I felt assaulted, vulnerable and at that moment I feared that my life was in danger.” ‘ said Clay Monaghan.

“The fact that this was all done in the name of a prank is particularly disturbing, and I think it’s important for the public to be aware of the potential dangers of social media and the harmful consequences of thoughtless action.

“No one should have to experience what I went through.”

The mother has implored people to “go home and talk to their children.”

“That’s not okay,” she said. “It’s not humorous and has consequences.

“I call on those responsible to step forward and take responsibility for their actions.

“Body harm is a serious crime, and harming others for entertainment is never acceptable.”

Tustin Police said they were investigating the case as assault and battery.

“Sometimes these kids think what they’re doing is a prank,” said Lieutenant Ryan Coe.

“It’s actually a crime.”

Authorities did not release surveillance camera video of the encounter. They said four teenagers left the scene on electric bikes.