Woman Suffers 3rd-Degree Burns From Pennies That Baked in Her Car All Day

A woman suffered third-degree burns after pennies sitting in her hot car all day made contact with her skin.

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Complex Original

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Summer is all fun and games until someone gets third-degree burns from pennies that have been sitting in an oven-hot car all day. At least that’s the case for Melissa Sechrist of Moore, Okla., who had to take herself to the hospital after some piping hot pennies spilled onto her car seat, leading to her sustaining serious burns.

News 9 in Oklahoma reported Tuesday that Sechrist experienced the burns after pennies from the change cup in her Ford Explorer fell onto the seat. Sechrist told the station she got burnt on the back of her thigh after sitting down on the pennies that had spilled out.

Sechrist, age 48, said she thought she could treat the burns with ice at home, but ended up going to the hospital, saying, “It was just horrible pain I've never felt before in my life.” Sechrist also described the pain from the burns as "excruciating."

News 9 further reported that Sechrist was given multiple medications to help heal and protect the burns themselves, as well as medication for the immense pain she has been experiencing. More than a week after being burned, Sechrist told News 9 she was still experiencing pain when she walks around or even just sits or stands. 

As a warning to the rest of the world who's experiencing high levels of heat, Sechrist told News 9, "Everybody needs to watch for coins on their seats because it does burn. I would hate to see a child with these kind of burns on their legs."

The Associated Press reported that on the day Sechrist sustained her burns, the heat index in Moore was 104 degrees. 

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