Georgia Toddler in Critical Condition After 150+ Yellow Jacket Stings

A Georgia family is living every parent’s worst nightmare after their two-year-old son was attacked by a swarm of yellow jackets, leaving him with more than 150 stings and fighting for his life in intensive care.

Little Beckham Reed was playing outside with his cousins, riding around in an electric toy car, when he accidentally disturbed a hidden yellow jacket nest, according to local reports from WJXT and a family GoFundMe page. In an instant, the wasps swarmed, stinging him repeatedly across his head, arms, and body.

At first, doctors at the emergency room treated Beckham with morphine and Benadryl for pain and swelling before sending him home. But within a day, things took a dangerous turn. His skin began to take on a yellowish hue—a clear sign that something was seriously wrong. Alarmed, his parents rushed him back to the hospital.

Tests revealed that the massive venom exposure had triggered multi-organ failure. Beckham, who was born with only one functioning kidney, was in critical condition, with his kidney, liver, and heart all struggling to cope with the toxic overload.

He was transferred to the pediatric ICU at Memorial Health in Savannah, where doctors placed him on a ventilator, started dialysis, and administered powerful IV medications to stabilize his fragile condition.

“There is no antivenom for yellow jackets,” his family explained in the fundraiser update. “The only option is to support his body and give it time to process the toxins.”

The incident has forced Beckham’s father, Peyton, to take time away from work to remain at his son’s bedside. Despite the severity of his injuries, there have been glimmers of hope.

By Wednesday, doctors reported signs of improvement—his liver and kidney function had started to recover. “Beckham is waking up more, and we know this is good news,” the family shared. “He is STRONG and a great kicker. We know Beckham is a fighter, and he’s fighting to get better.”

For now, Beckham’s recovery will be slow and closely monitored, but his loved ones remain optimistic that his resilience will see him through.