Police called after needles found in 11-month-old infant

Doctors called police in Huaian, East China's Jiangsu Province on suspicions of child abuse after successfully removing four sewing needles found lodged in the body of an 11-month-old baby girl.

The infant Tongtong underwent surgery at the Huaian Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, where it took doctors nearly three hours to extract all four needles out of her hip and waist, the Nanjing-based Modern Express reported on August 7.

"Some needles had been inside her for at least a month, and had turned black with spots of rust," said Chen Weibing, deputy chief physician of pediatric surgery at the hospital.

Doctors called local police after Tongtong's medial records revealed she had underwent similar surgery to extract a needle on two separate occasions at Huaian No.1 People's Hospital over the past two months.

"It's impossible for such a small baby to stab needles into herself. It is more likely the work of an adult, so we called the police immediately," said Chen.

Authorities described Tongtong's parents as "not cooperative enough," and a police investigation is underway, said the report.