SHAH ALAM - A toddler in Guangdong, China, injured her tongue after a firecracker she mistook for candy exploded in her mouth.
According to international reports, in the incident which happened on Feb 21, the girl was playing with her mother in an open space outside their home.
The mother said she was teaching her daughter to throw the firecracker onto the ground.
A video shared online showed the mother then stood up to head back into the house briefly.
A few seconds later, the girl was seen putting the firecracker into her mouth.
It exploded with a loud "pop", causing her to jerk backwards and cry out in pain.
The mother immediately runs back outside to comfort her child.
According to reports by regional media outlets, the mother expressed regret for leaving her daughter unattended, saying that closer supervision could have prevented the incident.
She said her daughter suffered an injury to her tongue but it was not serious.
The incident sparked debate online. Some people criticised the mother and questioned why a toddler was allowed to handle fireworks.
Others pointed out that young children may not be able to tell the difference between candy and firecrackers, especially since some poppers are similar in size and colour.
The case has renewed calls for parents to be extra careful when children are around fireworks, particularly during festive seasons, as even small firecrackers can be dangerous if mishandled.