A three-year-old girl walked into a hospital with a six-inch fruit knife embedded in her skull after surviving a terrifying accident. Footage captured at Dongchuan People’s Hospital in south-west China shows the toddler entering the building with the blade protruding from the side of her head, just above her right ear.
The shocking video quickly went viral on Chinese social media, sparking heated debate about her mother’s role in the incident. According to reports from the South China Morning Post, the girl’s mother, identified only by her surname, Hu, initially claimed the accident happened while she was changing bedsheets.
She said she swung a sheet, causing the knife to fly across the room and strike her daughter.
However, a hospital staff member later alleged that the mother admitted to picking up the knife in an attempt to “scare” her daughter, who was having a tantrum, before accidentally stabbing her.
The knife became lodged deep in the child’s skull, leaving only the handle visible. Hu reportedly tried unsuccessfully to pull it out before rushing her daughter to the hospital.
Doctors performed a delicate craniotomy to remove the blade, and the child is now in a stable condition. A surgeon told Chinese Business View that the girl’s survival was partly due to the softness of her skull, which helped prevent fatal damage.
“If the girl’s mother had recklessly pulled the knife out, the risk would have been enormous. The correct action was to seek immediate professional medical help,” the doctor said.
Local police have since ruled the incident an accident, confirming there was no criminal intent involved.
