A three-year-old toddler in Malaysia received 20 stitches after she reportedly jumped out of a moving car driven by her teacher on her first day of school.
The accident left the girl with severe oral injuries that required surgery under anaesthesia, reported Malaysian publication Sin Chew Daily on Wednesday (7 Jan).
Images of the girl's injuries were reportedly posted on her mother's social media account. The mother recounted receiving a phone call informing her that her daughter had been in an accident barely five minutes after the girl had been picked up by the teacher.
She initially thought that it was just a minor scratch, but grew uneasy when her child did not return home and drove over to check on her.
"When I arrived, my child was covered in blood and it was flowing from her mouth. I didn't care about anything else and immediately took her to the hospital emergency room," Sin Chew reported the mother saying.
As the girl's oral and dental injuries were serious, she was referred to a dentist for further treatment. The dentist found extensive cuts on the outside of her lips and inside her gums.
She received 20 stitches in her mouth under anaesthesia, and has since returned home to recuperate, Sin Chew reported.
Her mother said she is currently unable to eat normally and can only be fed milk and medication with a spoon.
She added that the girl's wounds also require regular cleaning and medication to prevent infection, and that she needs to return to the hospital for weekly check-ups.
While the girl's mother acknowledged that the accident was unfortunate, she was relieved it did not occur on a busy road, as the consequences could have been unimaginable, reported Sin Chew.
"I still feel lingering fear when I think about it now. I just hope my child can recover as soon as possible," she said.
