A mother has allegedly stabbed her 10-month-old baby boy 600 times for misbehaving as the child was rushed to hospital before horrified doctors discovered a metal tip was left lodged in his spine.

The infant was initially admitted with a high fever and convulsions to the People’s Hospital of Mojiang County in China on 16 December last year.

However, medical staff were left stunned after discovering the boy’s body was covered in scabs from head to toe. The worst of the young baby’s ordeal was yet to be uncovered.

An examination confirmed the baby had been punctured between 500 and 600 times in a horrifying pattern of sustained abuse over a prolonged period.

It was later discovered that the cause of the child being unwell was due to one of the needles the woman used to allegedly punish the child snapping off.

Doctors found the metal needle tip, which had reportedly been pushed into his neck, remained lodged in his cervical spine, according to the South China Morning Post.

The baby’s mother, whose surname was given as Dao, reportedly told doctors she would stab the child if he misbehaved or fell ill.

She would reportedly use a thick needle typically used for sewing shoe soles, according to a Malaysian publication. Spine Surgeon Dr Sui Wenyuan revealed that surgery to extract the metal tip was exceptionally high risk as both parents could not verify the shape of the needle or whether it had a barb on it.

Dr Sui confirmed the operation had been successful and his condition was stabilised three days later.

He declared: “We completed all necessary tests and successfully performed the surgery on the same day as the consultation.”

The infant was discharged from the hospital in good health on January 9, 2026 and is now receiving rehabilitative care at a local medical facility under his father’s care.

Mojiang county officials have also assigned personnel and medical staff to provide rehabilitation, nutrition, and continuous monitoring for his recovery, according to Jiemian News.

A joint investigation by the Public Security Bureau and the health commission discovered that Dao believed she was using a traditional “needling” technique to treat her son, but she is reportedly poorly educated.

Currently, it remains uncertain whether Dao will face charges over the alleged abuse, but she continues to be investigated by authorities.