A 2-year-old boy, Cooper King, caused a stir in Webster Groves, Missouri, when he crawled into a claw machine at the Vetta Sports – Soccerdome on February 7, 2026.

Cooper wandered off while his family watched his older brother play soccer and ended up playing happily inside the machine for about 20 minutes.

Bystanders, including police and firefighters, gathered around as a service technician eventually freed him with a key.

His mother, Megan, described the moment as both terrifying and surreal, noting how quickly Cooper got himself into trouble, East Idaho News has reported.

The incident has given the family a memorable story they’ll be telling for years to come.