When a “Prank” Turns Dangerous: The Alarming Case of a Texas Teen Targeted with a Peanut Allergy

Anyone who has passed through the halls of high school likely has a story or two about pranks. They are a time-honored, if occasionally annoying, part of teenage life — often meant to entertain, surprise, or mildly embarrass classmates. From covering lockers in sticky notes to elaborate senior “class stunts,” these acts are usually harmless, more a rite of passage than a threat.

But every so often, the line between humor and harm is crossed — and in the case of Lake Travis High School in Texas, that line was obliterated.

Last year, what some students dismissed as a prank nearly became a matter of life and death.

The incident involved Carter Mannon, a high school athlete with a severe peanut allergy, who became the target of an alleged locker-room prank that exposed him to peanuts — a substance that could have killed him.

Carter’s allergy was first discovered when he was just nine months old. His mother, Shawna Mannon, vividly recalled the terrifying moment to PEOPLE magazine earlier this year.

“We had him sitting on the counter, and my husband was making a peanut butter sandwich right next to him. Carter reached his hand inside the jar and smeared it on himself. He broke out in hives immediately — it was a perfect handprint of hives. That’s when we realized, ‘Oh, he must be allergic.’”

Since that moment, the Mannon family has lived with the constant vigilance required to protect a child with a life-threatening allergy. Despite those challenges, Carter thrived — even earning a coveted spot on the Lake Travis High School Varsity Football Team, a goal he had pursued for years.

But just as his dream was coming true, teammates allegedly turned it into a nightmare.

According to Shawna, several players — fully aware of Carter’s severe allergy — decided to sprinkle peanuts throughout his locker, including on his jersey and inside his cleats.

This was no harmless prank. The exposure caused Carter to break out in hives on his arm — a clear sign of an allergic reaction that could have escalated into anaphylaxis, a medical emergency that can be fatal within minutes.

Shawna explained just how fragile her son’s condition is:

“His levels are off the chart. You have this big, strong kid, and one little peanut could take him down. It could kill him.”

Medical experts agree. The Mayo Clinic warns that severe peanut allergies can trigger anaphylaxis, requiring immediate treatment with epinephrine, and that any delay in care can be deadly.

What made the Lake Travis incident particularly disturbing is that it was allegedly premeditated.

Before the “prank,” Carter’s teammates reportedly asked him directly if exposure to peanuts could kill him. When he confirmed that it could, they proceeded with their plan anyway.

“They were kind of joking around about it and said, ‘But could it kill you if it touched you?’ And he said, ‘Yes, it absolutely could,’” Shawna recounted. “He told them, ‘If it got in my nose, eyes, or mouth, that could trigger anaphylactic shock.’”

The following day, before a football game, the peanuts appeared in Carter’s locker. Within moments, he began reacting.

Despite the seriousness of the act, the consequences were minimal. The students allegedly responsible were suspended from practice for just two days, forced to switch locker rooms, and required to complete extra running drills.

Meanwhile, Carter became the target of retaliation from peers — one incident even involved a peanut butter granola bar being placed in his backpack.

When his mother took her concerns to the Lake Travis Independent School District, she was stunned by the response.

A district representative told PEOPLE:

“Under the Texas Education Code, bullying is a very specific behavior and is defined as an act or pattern of acts that physically harms a student or materially and substantially disrupts the educational process. Upon concluding our investigation, it was determined that the legal elements of bullying were not met.”

For Shawna, that explanation offered little comfort. The law may not have recognized the act as “bullying,” but for her family, it was clear an ethical and moral line had been crossed.

Feeling unsafe and unsupported, Carter ultimately transferred to another school, leaving behind his team and friends to protect his health and peace of mind.

The ordeal has since become a case study in the limits of school accountability and a stark reminder of how a “joke” can spiral into a potentially lethal act.

While many people view food allergies as minor inconveniences, the truth is far more sobering. For individuals like Carter, exposure to even trace amounts of peanuts can trigger a severe, rapid, and life-threatening reaction.

Carter’s story underscores the urgent need for greater awareness, empathy, and education in schools about the realities of severe allergies — and the consequences of treating them lightly.

A prank is not a prank when it endangers someone’s life.

As the Mannon family continues to speak out, their message is simple: Allergies are not a joke, and no student should ever have to fear for their safety in a place meant for learning and growth.

The incident at Lake Travis High School serves as a sobering warning — not only about the dangers of ignorance and cruelty but also about the critical importance of empathy, understanding, and accountability in protecting our most vulnerable students.