Mom speaks out after son, 8, orders 30 boxes of Dum-Dums on Amazon

Yahoo

07-05-2025

A Kentucky mom is speaking out after her 8-year-old son, who lives with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD), unknowingly ordered 30 boxes of Dum-Dums lollipops on Amazon -- racking up a $4,200 charge.
Holly LaFavers of Somerset told "Good Morning America" she was preparing for church last Sunday when for some reason she felt like checking her bank account.
"I had just gotten paid, and so when I looked at my bank account and it was in the red I just immediately panicked," she recalled. "And then looked to see what was causing that, and I saw the $4,200 charge to Amazon. And so immediately looked over at Amazon [to] see what had happened."
PHOTO: Holly LaFavers shared in a Facebook post that her son Liam ordered 30 cases of Dum-Dums without her knowledge. (Courtesy Holly LaFavers)
She quickly discovered that her son Liam had placed the order. LaFavers, a single mother, explained that Liam, who was diagnosed with an FASD at age 4, is allowed to play on her phone as a reward. She said he often window-shops on Amazon, adding themed items -- like carnival supplies -- to the cart. But this was the first time he'd ever actually placed an order.
"He knows he's not allowed to push the other button," she said. "Never has this happened before. He just likes to shop on there, window shop, I guess."
Liam doesn't fully understand the concept of consequences, LaFavers said.
"He knows that there were a lot of boxes delivered," she said. "He knows I've not let him open any of the boxes. He clearly saw me upset on Sunday…but he doesn't really understand that [by] buying all of that, the money came out of my account."
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According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, fetal alcohol spectrum disorders can cause lifelong physical, behavioral and cognitive challenges due to prenatal alcohol exposure. Children with FASD may struggle with impulse control, emotional regulation, and understanding cause and effect.
Liam came into LaFavers' life when he was 4 months old and was officially adopted when he was 2 and 1/2. She said educating others about FASD is one reason she's sharing her story.
After discovering the order, LaFavers immediately called Amazon. She was instructed to reject the delivery to initiate a refund. The family stayed home from church to intercept the package, but despite tracking the delivery in the app, the first 22 boxes showed up without notice.
"Liam went outside to ride his scooter and started screaming, 'My suckers are here,'" she said. "There were just 22 boxes of suckers on our front porch."
PHOTO: Holly LaFavers shared in a Facebook post that her son Liam ordered 30 cases of Dum-Dums without her knowledge. (Courtesy Holly LaFavers)
Two hours later, the remaining eight boxes arrived, which LaFavers was able to reject by waiting outside.
She said she spent several hours communicating with Amazon, frustrated that she'd followed their guidance but was left with the bulk of the delivery.
"It was probably around dinner time, Sunday evening, I just kind of, for lack of better words, gave up and decided I was gonna have to ask for help," she said.
LaFavers shared her story on Facebook over the weekend, and her hometown of Somerset stepped in immediately. Within two hours, she said, every box was accounted for -- purchased by local banks, doctor's offices, and even a chiropractor.
"I'm originally from Somerset, Kentucky, which is a much smaller community, but my friends and family in Somerset truly stepped up… and they were able to help," she said. "They understood that it wasn't anything malicious, and that I was an honest person. That's amazing."
Eventually, Amazon agreed to refund the full amount. The company confirmed the refund to ABC News, and a spokesperson said in a statement: "We're glad we were able to work directly with this customer to turn a sticky situation into something sweet."
LaFavers said some boxes are still in Lexington, Kentucky but others have already been shared.
"We are at church right now, we just donated them a box, and then we'll take another box to Liam's school, and that will leave us with five left here in Lexington," she shared.
Reflecting on the experience, she has one message for fellow parents.
"Don't panic. And I panicked, I can say now that I'm on the other side of it, don't panic," she said. "Everything will eventually work out. Just have faith that everything will be OK, because it will be fine, and make sure you lock your phone."
She also hopes this brings more awareness to FASD.
LaFavers added, "These kids go undiagnosed because it's not as well known."
Mom speaks out after son, 8, orders 30 boxes of Dum-Dums on Amazon originally appeared on goodmorningamerica.com