On a Japanese stunt TV show at the end of January, a twelve-year-old member of tweenage pop group 3B Junior was put into a coma after inhaling helium for a prank she'd been put up to, the BBC reports.

The child had been taking part in a stunt where she inhaled helium from a balloon to change her voice (you know the deal), and while doing so, she fell unconscious. According to the BBC, she suffered an "air embolism," and fell into a coma.

Japan Today reported that the unnamed girl regained consciousness on Thursday, but has limited movement and can't speak clearly. The broadcaster of the stunt program has since apologized:

Speaking to the press on Wednesday, executives from TV Asahi apologised to the girl and her family.

They said the canister from which she had inhaled the gas was marked "for adult use only", but producers had overlooked the warning.

Managing director Toru Takeda said he had delayed announcing the accident to the public because he expected the singer to make an earlier recovery.

The show may be discontinued.

[Image via BBC]