Sleeping is normally a peaceful activity. When we retire to bed at night, most of us do not feel the need to bolt the doors and hide the keys. Nor do we padlock the fridge or lock away sharp objects. But for the one percent of the adult population who regularly sleepwalk (e.g. at least twice per month), closing your eyes at night can be a strange and sometimes terrible thing.^[1]

Although most sleepwalkers will just wander aimlessly around the house, embarrassing their families before finally slipping back into bed, some people do some very strange things indeed.

10 Have Sex

Sexsomnia is a condition which causes people to engage in sex acts in their sleep. Without being aware of it, sufferers can engage in sex alone or with a partner and never remember it when they wake up. Both men and women experience the condition, though it is more common in men.^[2]

Sexsomnia can be a particularly dangerous condition, both for the sufferer and those around them, as they are unable to comprehend issues of consent. In 2007, a jury cleared a Royal Air Force aircraft mechanic of rape after hearing that he suffered from sexsomnia. Kenneth Ecott climbed naked on top of an unconscious girl after a drunken party. The jury accepted that he had been in a state of “automatism” when he raped her.

There have been a number of sexsomnia defenses to rape charges, not all of them successful, and there have been attempts to outlaw the defense, albeit with little success. However, it seems juries are unlikely to acquit unless the defendant is able to prove that they had documented evidence of parasomnias prior to being charged with rape.

9 Drive

Just as people walk in their sleep, so it is possible for them to drive. Sleep drivers can often travel significant distances in their sleep. It is not known how common this is, nor how many road accidents are caused by somnambulists. It is likely that while sleepwalkers master the mechanics of driving, they will not be able to use higher skills such as navigation and will merely be driving on autopilot.^[3]

And of course, not only can sleepwalkers drive, but they can also drink and drive. In 2012, UK resident Becky Mason had a friend over at her place and drank several glasses of wine before going to bed. Afterward, she drove 8 kilometers (5 mi) to her office in her pajamas, only to be told by a bemused security guard that it was Saturday night and that she wasn’t due in work until Monday morning. She got back in her car to drive home and promptly crashed into a lamppost. Her blood-alcohol level was three times the legal limit.

At her trial, the security guard was a crucial witness in her defense, and she was acquitted of drunk driving on the grounds of automatism. After this debacle, she made sure to hand her car keys to her roommates every night, just in case.

8 Kill

In 2009, Brian Thomas of Wales was acquitted of the murder of his wife after he strangled her while sleepwalking. Thomas had suffered from night terrors for 50 years and usually slept in a separate room from his wife, but they had gone on vacation and were sharing a bed in their camper van.

Thomas usually took tablets for depression, which helped alleviate the symptoms, but stopped taking them while on the trip because they reduced his libido. They had enjoyed a pleasant evening, only slightly marred by a gang of young men racing cars near their van.

Not long after they fell asleep, Thomas had a nightmare that the youths had broken into the camper van, and he dreamed that he was defending his wife from their attack. Tragically, he was, in fact, strangling her. Thomas made a confused emergency call some time later, saying that he had strangled his wife in his sleep.

There have been other cases of sleepwalkers, usually men, killing in their sleep. Not unnaturally, their victims are usually their partners. In 1845, Albert Tirrell was the first person to successfully use the sleepwalking defense in the United States, after he killed his “mistress” and set fire to the brothel they were sleeping in.

One of the most controversial acquittals was that of Kenneth Parks, who, in 1987, drove 20 kilometers (12 mi) from his home to that of his in-laws, beat his mother-in-law to death, and tried to strangle his father-in-law. He then climbed back into his car and drove to the nearest police station and turned himself in. The case caused controversy mainly because Parks had financial problems caused by his gambling addiction. He had recently lost his job as a result of embezzlement. Subsequent examinations by sleep researchers, however, showed that his sleep was highly disturbed, which, when combined with the stress of the discovery of his gambling addiction, was enough to cause a violent sleepwalking episode with such tragic results.^[4]

7 Get Naked

Finding yourself naked in public is a common anxiety dream, but for many sleepwalkers, it can turn into reality.

Indeed, it has become so common that one hotel chain has even trained its staff on how to deal with the naked sleepwalkers who wander up and down its corridors. The problem appears to be almost exclusively male (in the hotels, at any rate), with confused guests turning up at the reception desk in their birthday suits to request a wake-up call or try to check out. Staff now keep towels on hand in order to preserve their guests’ modesty and master keys in order to guide them gently back to their rooms.^[5]

It is thought that stress probably increases the likelihood of a sleepwalking occurrence, and alcohol or unfamiliar surroundings can exacerbate it and lead to further confusion. Sleepwalkers may believe that they are at home or that they have stepped into the bathroom or even onto a private balcony, when in reality, they are wandering the halls in the altogether.

6 Talk (Too Much)

Almost everyone talks in their sleep at some point. However, some people hold entire conversations with themselves. Sleeptalking, or somniloquy, might seem like complete gibberish to those who are awake but appear perfectly logical to the sleepwalker. Though somniloquy is unlikely to cause serious harm, it can often prove embarrassing for sufferers.

Sleeptalking can run in families. It can be exacerbated by sleep deprivation, stress, and drug and alcohol use.^[6] Researchers have discovered that a lot of sleeptalk consists of negative words, such as “no,” and rather a lot of swearing.

Most sleeptalkers, it seems, are fairly foul-mouthed, but despite what the movies will have us believe, people do not tend to blurt out their darkest secrets in their sleep. There is no evidence that what sleepers are talking about is founded in fact. Indeed, in 2001, the Supreme Court in Massachusetts overturned a conviction of indecent assault when they found that the original jury had been prejudiced after hearing that one of the children in the case “disclosed” his abuse in his sleep.

5 Get Creative

Perhaps there is something about being unconscious that stirs the creative juices. In 2015, a 13-year-old girl was filmed playing the piano in her sleep. Though she could clearly be heard snoring and rested her head against the upright piano, she still managed to knock out a tune.

Sleepwalkers have also participated in the fine arts. Lee Hadwin has made a career selling paintings that he creates in his sleep. He claims to be unable to draw when he is awake but produces artworks in the middle of the night without ever remembering it in the morning. Though critics are divided about whether his work constitutes “real art” or just “doodling,” he has nevertheless sold his work to buyers all over the world, including to well-known aesthetes like Donald Trump.^[7]

Though most art experts believe that true art requires the artist to be both conscious and responsive, it seems it is possible for the brain to perform some creative functions while the artist is asleep.

4 Live The Dream

For most people, having a dream come true is usually a good thing. For those with REM behavior disorder (RBD), however, it could mean something entirely different.

Usually, when we enter REM sleep, our brain shuts off communication with our muscles, except those in our eyes and diaphragm (which allows us to breathe), effectively paralyzing us as we sleep. REM sleep usually comes in cycles of around 90 minutes, so dreamers will typically experience three or more cycles per night.

When RBD sufferers enter the REM stage of sleep, their muscles are not adequately paralyzed, and they act out their dreams. This may include violence, laughing, or reenacting movements made during the day, such as packing imaginary suitcases. Sometimes, sleepwalkers will jump out of bed or run around the house.^[8]

Because the only reality that the sleeper recognizes is the one in the dream, sufferers can injure themselves in real life without feeling it in the dream and without waking up. It’s kind of like The Matrix in reverse.

3 Commit Armed Robbery

In 2007, Maria Hudson fell asleep in front of the TV. Then she put on some pink rubber kitchen gloves and pulled a pair of tights over her head. She walked for ten minutes to her local convenience store, where she pulled out a 30-centimeter (12 in) kitchen knife and yelled, “Hand over your money!” in a tone much like that used by Brad Pitt in the film she had just been watching.

She only woke up when she was pinned to the shop floor by two police officers as they disarmed her. Hudson had no recollection of what happened, but medical experts believed that her “insane automatism” was brought on by her epilepsy.

Although a relative of the shop owners suffered a slashed wrist in the attack, his injury was, thankfully, not life-threatening. He recalled, “She was covered in my blood but didn’t say anything. Then when police arrived she suddenly seemed to come alive.” Hudson was acquitted after a trial.^[9]

2 Eat

People with sleep-related eating disorder (SRED) may have a perfectly healthy relationship with food during the day. But in their sleep, they will binge on foods that they would not eat while awake. It is common for SRED sufferers to stuff themselves with thick and high-sugar-content foods such as peanut butter or syrup, stuffing it all down very quickly before going back to bed without waking. Not only do they eat, but sufferers often cook, too, which can lead to knife injuries and burns.^[10]

Sleepwalkers can rustle up anything from a sandwich to a three-course meal. However, though they may appear to be awake, they are unlikely to be fully aware of which ingredients they are using, so eating the food that they have prepared may not always be a good idea.

SRED can have a serious effect on health. One obvious consequence is likely to be weight gain. Some sufferers try to cure themselves of binge-eating by ridding the house of high-calorie foods, but they may end up eating other, more dangerous things instead. Sleep-eaters have been discovered eating coffee grounds, bacon rinds, and paper and drinking poisonous fluids like bleach.

On the whole, it seems that stocking the fridge with chocolate is safer.

1 Balance (On Top Of A Crane)

One night in 2005 in London, a passerby spotted a young girl on the arm of a crane, 40 meters (130 ft) above the ground. Thinking that he was witnessing a suicide attempt, he alerted emergency services. It was only when a firefighter crawled toward her that it was discovered that she was asleep.

Responders were concerned that a rescue attempt might wake her. The 15-year-old had apparently walked from her home, climbed up the crane, and walked across the narrow beam in her sleep. Eventually, rescuers recovered her mobile phone and contacted her parents. They were able to phone and wake her gently, while firefighters positioned themselves to catch her if she fell.

Though the girl had managed to climb the crane in her sleep, it took a crew of firefighters with a hydraulic lift two and a half hours to bring her back down.^[11]

Ward Hazell is a writer who travels, and an occasional travel writer

Birthdays are often a highlight of the year—a day reserved for joy, laughter, and celebration with those closest to us. Whether it’s a themed party for a child that’s filled with colorful balloons, decorations, and games or a simple adult gathering of friends and family, birthday parties are a way to create special memories, celebrate life, and bring people together. Blowing out candles, opening presents, and being surrounded by loved ones not only adds to the magic of the occasion but also reminds us that sometimes, it’s the simple joy of being celebrated that makes all the difference.

While most parties end in smiles, piles of wrapping paper, and cake crumbs left behind, unfortunately, sometimes even the best-laid plans can go awry. However, rather than a minor hiccup, cake mishap, or forgotten present, these celebrations went from joyous to jaw-dropping in an instant. They turned what should have been a festive event into something much more unforgettable.

In this list, we’ll explore ten stories of birthday parties that took an absolutely bizarre walk on the wild side, where celebrations were overshadowed by chaos, wild animal encounters, freak accidents, and, in some cases, outrageous human behavior. These stories prove that even the most carefully planned parties can take a surprising and untamed twist.

Related: 10 Milestone Moments That Turned into Tragedy

10 Birthday Bash Turns into Gator Dash

On August 14, 2021, Donnie Wiseman, his wife Theresa, and his six-year-old stepson attended a five-year-old’s birthday party at Scales and Tails in West Valley, Utah. Wiseman initially contemplated not attending the party, given that working long hours at his construction job had left him feeling worn out. However, as “a reptile enthusiast,” Wiseman decided to go at the last minute and was especially looking forward to seeing the petting zoo’s 11-year-old, 8.5-foot long (2.5 meters), 150-pound (68 kg) alligator named “Darth Gator.” Little did Wiseman know just how close he would be to the reptile or that he would become part of the show.

As the gator’s handler, Lindsay Bull, opened the door to feed the gator, he “got a little extra spunky.” When Darth Gator then tried to climb onto the platform in his enclosure, Bull gave the reptile a command to back up. However, the alligator did not obey and, instead, latched onto Bull’s hand.

Realizing that the alligator was about to do the infamous “death roll”—a maneuver where alligators spin rapidly to subdue their prey—Bull allowed herself to be pulled into the pool in an attempt to avoid any further injury or losing her arm. Within seconds, Wiseman began shouting for help, but when no one came, he decided to take matters into his own hands.

Wiseman leaped into the enclosure, wrestled the alligator with his bare hands, and jumped onto the gator’s back, pinning him down. As Wiseman used all of his 180-pound (81 kg) body weight to press down on the alligator, Bull instructed Wiseman to push his fists into the top of Darth Gator’s snout. Doing this shifted the power dynamic, taking the alligator from a position as a predator to that of prey. The pair made small talk and remained calm. After close to a minute, the alligator finally let go of Bull’s hand.

From there, another guest, Todd Christopher, was able to grab Bull under her arms and pull her out of the enclosure, but Wiseman was still inside, straddling the gator. However, thanks to Bull’s instruction, Wiseman was then able to climb off the alligator’s back and get away safely. Christopher’s wife, Amy, who has a nursing background, was able to treat Bull’s wounds until first responders arrived.

Bull was taken to a local hospital with injuries to her hand that required surgery. Despite the terrifying encounter, which was all captured on video by Wiseman’s wife, Bull was expected to make a full recovery, and she said she “can’t wait to get back to work.”^[1]

9 Party Pooper… Literally!

A 16th birthday is often seen as a milestone and, as such, celebrated with grandeur. However, whether it’s a “sweet sixteen” filled with fancy dresses and an elaborate cake or a more laid-back gathering of close friends, turning sixteen marks a coming-of-age moment—one that represents freedom, new beginnings, and the much-anticipated driver’s license. It’s also a day many teenagers dream about as the celebration allows them to be the center of attention and make memories that will last a lifetime.

However, for one unlucky birthday girl, the memories of her 16th birthday came in a form that no one could have predicted or wanted.

On May 17, 2015, Jacinda Cambray was enjoying her “sweet sixteen” party with around 40 guests at her home in Levittown, Pennsylvania. Unfortunately, what started as a perfectly planned backyard pool party quickly descended into chaos when “something brown started falling from the sky.” Rather than confetti raining down on the celebration, it was something much, much worse—feces! Yes, you read that right, feces!

Thankfully, the guests had finished with the cake, and it had been taken back inside before the unsanitary surprise. A specially erected canopy took most of the impact, sparing most of the partygoers from being blasted with human excrement. It was then that a relative, Kristie Rogy, used a smartphone app to discover that five planes were flying overhead at the time of the incident.

The family went on to file a complaint with the Federal Aviation Administration. The FAA stated that the incident was being investigated as all planes are legally required to dispose of waste at the airport.

Unfortunately for Cambray, this birthday party will surely be memorable for all the wrong reasons, and she will certainly never forget the day an airplane took her party to a whole new level of crappy.^[2]

8 Bear Crashes Birthday Picnic and Enjoys Mexican Feast

On September 25, 2023, Silvia Macías of Mexico City, her son Santiago, and family friends Nathalia Fuentes and Angela Chapa visited the Chinique Ecological Park in San Pedro Garza García to celebrate Santiago’s 15th birthday. However, shortly after the group sat down to eat, a black bear decided to join the party and jumped onto their picnic table, devouring the tacos, enchiladas, french fries, and salsa meant for Santiago’s birthday dinner.

While they certainly never expected the four-legged intruder to crash their party, thankfully, Macías and Chapa had previously devised a plan should they come across a bear, given that Santiago, who has Down syndrome, is “very afraid of animals.” The plan was to “play a game” in which they would cover Santiago’s eyes and act like statues, and that’s exactly what they did.

Sitting just inches away from the bear’s mouth, Macías covered Santiago’s eyes, held him close to her chest, and remained stoic, keeping her eyes downward to avoid anything the bear might consider a challenge.

It was then that Chapa, who was recording the terrifying encounter, noticed a plate of enchiladas that the bear had not eaten. Chapa was able to get the bear’s attention by showing it the food and then tossing the container far away from the table. Just as Chapa expected, the bear followed the food, and she was able to stand in front of it, giving Macías and Santiago an opportunity to slowly back away.

The bear eventually went on its merry way. Still, the family did not let the scary encounter ruin or end their celebration. Santiago got his birthday tacos replaced, and everything ended well.^[3]

7 Cake and Chaos: Four-Year-Old’s Party Ruined in Police Fiasco

Stephanie Bures and her family were celebrating her four-year-old son T.J.’s birthday in their basement apartment in Chicago, Illinois, on February 10, 2019. However, as the children played a game of “Duck, Duck, Goose,” chaos descended on the party.

It was then that approximately 17 Chicago police officers, all dressed in plain clothes, entered the apartment with their weapons drawn and shouted, “Get your (expletive) hands up! We are doing an (expletive) raid.” Naturally in shock at the situation, an adult relative, Kiqiana Jackson, proceeded to ask the group who they were and why they were there and also requested to see a search warrant. Despite the fact that no one disobeyed orders, Jackson and several other adults were handcuffed in front of the children and taken outside into the cold.

To make matters worse, the family stated that the officers ransacked the home and took a door off its hinges, pried open wall panels, flipped mattresses, threw a big-screen TV to the floor, poured vodka over clothes, poured peroxide on T.J.’s presents, and smashed his cake. They also stated that the police officers “screamed profanity and insults,” “unlawfully questioned” T.J. and his seven-year-old sister Samari, and “joked and laughed throughout the raid.” However, no arrests were made.

So, what exactly was the reason for such a barbaric raid? Unfortunately, the family didn’t discover the reason or the huge mistake that was made until just before the officers left, when they placed a copy of the search warrant on the dining room table. The warrant was for a 46-year-old man who was allegedly dealing ecstasy. Not only did the family have no connection to the suspect, but the man in question had not lived in the apartment building for more than 5 years!

The family went on to file a federal lawsuit against the Chicago Police Department and the officers involved. On September 3, 2020, the Chicago City Council’s Finance Committee agreed to a $350,000 settlement in the case.^[4]

6 Birthday Dinner Ends in Flames

Samantha Myers of Greene County, Arkansas, said that her 26th birthday began on a positive note—her husband and children woke her up with a “happy birthday” greeting, the family went to church, and they later surprised her with a card and some candy. However, Myers’s husband, children, and in-laws had one more surprise for the birthday girl—a family dinner at Kimono Japanese Steakhouse in Paragould, Arkansas.

Unfortunately, the surprise birthday dinner on February 9, 2020, came to a fiery finish and ended with a trip to the hospital.

Once at the restaurant, the family sat around a Hibachi grill and enjoyed the experience of watching the chef prepare their meal. Sadly, the celebration then took a tragic turn. Myers stated that after the chef finished cooking their food, he made a heart shape on the grill and lit it on fire. The chef then went to draw a second heart—while the first heart was still on fire—but it was then that a “fireball burst off the grill” and “exploded,” setting both Myers and the chef on fire.

In a panic and screaming in pain, Myers ran to the bathroom to get water and put out the fire. Myers’s mother-in-law ran after her in an attempt to help and also repeatedly asked one of the employees if they had any burn cream. However, Myers claimed that the restaurant did nothing to help at the time, so the two women left the restaurant to go to the hospital. Myers, however, insisted that the rest of the family stay behind and finish their meal.

Myers sustained first- and second-degree burns to her face, neck, and chest, an infection in both eyes, and singed eyebrows and eyelashes. The details of the chef’s injuries were unknown.

While they were not charged for the meal and the restaurant offered to pay her medical bills, Myers stated that she intended to sue Kimono.^[5]

5 Elderly Woman’s Birthday Dinner Party Interrupted by Masked Intruders

Wendy Melvin was hosting a small dinner party at her home in Squamish, British Columbia, to celebrate her mother’s 77th birthday on December 17, 2022. However, just as the partygoers were finishing the cake, two uninvited, masked guests decided to crash the party—raccoons.

Despite the unexpected intrusion, thankfully, the two raccoons were quite polite and caused no trouble. Melvin stated, “They tried out every chair, posed for many photos, and then curled up in two furry balls and fell asleep.”^[6]

4 Birthday Celebration Turns Brutal with a Nose-Biting Twist

On April 5, 2019, Shane Groves went to the Progressive Club—a private members’ club—in Alexandra Terrace, Sutton-in-Ashfield, to celebrate his birthday. However, during the party, Groves began verbally abusing his brother’s friend, hurling homophobic comments.

When Groves’s brother stepped in and tried to intervene between the men, Groves responded by throwing a chair at his brother’s friend. Unfortunately, the dispute didn’t end there. Groves later tried to headbutt his brother, but instead, “clamped” his teeth onto his brother’s nose, and the pair ended up grappling. Several people attempted to separate the siblings, but when they were pulled apart, the tip of Groves’s brother’s nose was severed, causing the appendage to “end up on the club floor.”

Groves’s brother was taken to Queen’s Medical Centre in Nottingham, where his nose was sewn back on, but unfortunately, it did not take. Additionally, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Groves’s brother was forced to wait for the first of three reconstructive operations to try and repair the damage.

Groves pleaded guilty to grievous bodily harm, and on November 5, 2020, he was sentenced to 25 months in prison.^[7]

3 Family Birthday Party Ends in Heartbreak After Freak Accident

A family birthday party is usually a time for joy, laughter, and celebration- a chance for loved ones to come together and create cherished memories. For one family, however, a freak accident replaced the joy of celebration with shock and sorrow as they found themselves mourning the loss of a beloved child in a tragedy that no one could have foreseen.

On July 11, 2021, two-year-old Delilah Hunt was sitting on a four-wheeler, surrounded by her family, at a birthday party in Gordonville, Texas, when the unthinkable happened. Family members were in the process of moving a truck—only a few feet away from where Hunt was—but when they started the vehicle, the truck’s AC compressor plate popped off, striking the toddler in the head.

Hunt was flown to Children’s Medical Center in Dallas, Texas, in critical condition. Sadly, Hunt, who was described as “the smartest and the spunkiest little two-year-old who just loved the world,” was later taken off life support and pronounced dead on July 14, 2021.^[8]

2 Tragedy at the Adventure Center

The Kong Adventure Centre in Keswick, England, features a state-of-the-art climbing wall, bouldering room, artificial caving system, a children’s hard play area, as well as a cafe ́ and a shop that sells specialty clothing and equipment for outdoor climbing. While this seems like a perfect place for the whole family, what began as a playful adventure at the facility took a devastating turn.

On April 22, 2023, 49-year-old Carl O’Keeffe went to Kong Adventure Centre to attend a celebration for his niece’s birthday. During their time there, O’Keeffe and four children went on an indoor caving experience. Unfortunately, at some point after entering the indoor cave, O’Keeffe attempted to turn around in the narrow tunnel but wound up getting stuck inside the center’s 229-foot (70-meter) long caving network.

The staff at Kong Adventure Centre was unfortunately not able to rescue O’Keeffe, so emergency services were called. Six crews from Cumbria Fire and Rescue, police, Keswick Mountain Rescue, Cumbria Ore Mines Rescue Unit, Great North Air Ambulance, and the Northwest Ambulance Service’s Hazardous Area Response Team worked with staff and visiting climbers. After over four hours, O’Keeffe was finally freed. O’Keeffe was then rushed to the Cumberland Infirmary’s intensive care unit in Carlisle with “crush injuries.”

Sadly, on April 30, 2023, O’Keeffe passed away. O’Keeffe’s older sister, Olivia Short, stated his death was the result of multiple organ failure.^[9]

1 Drunk Driver Crashes Into Party and Kills 2, Injures 15 Guests

On April 20, 2024, a child’s birthday party was being held at the Swan Boat Club in Berlin Charter Township, Michigan. However, as guests were sitting, eating, and enjoying the festivities, a car plunged 25 feet (7.6 meters) into the building, killing four-year-old Zayn Phillips and his sister, eight-year-old Alanah Phillips, and injuring 15 others.

The driver, 66-year-old Marshella Marie Chidester, was taken to the Monroe County Jail and charged with two counts of second-degree homicide, two counts of operating while intoxicated causing death, and four counts of operating while intoxicated causing serious injury.

Chidester, who was supposed to be meeting her husband at the birthday party at the boat club, claimed that all of a sudden, she “blacked out” and had no recollection of entering the parking lot of the boat club or anything leading up to the crash. Chidester has a history of epileptic-type seizures in her legs that result in paralysis, leading her attorney to believe she had a seizure behind the wheel.

Monroe County Prosecutor Jeffrey Yorkey, however, claimed that there was no evidence that Chidester had a seizure on the day of the crash, stating that a breath test indicated “she was significantly over the legal limit of 0.08.” Yorkie also stated that Chidester was not supposed to be drinking with the medication she was taking for her seizures, but Chidester admitted to drinking that day.

Attorneys representing the victims have also filed a lawsuit against the boat club, alleging that the building hosting the party on the end of a dirt road wasn’t designed to protect the people inside. (Link 51) They are also suing Verna’s Tavern, the bar that Chidester allegedly visited before the crash.^[10]