惯性聚合 高效追踪和阅读你感兴趣的博客、新闻、科技资讯
阅读原文 在惯性聚合中打开

推荐订阅源

让小产品的独立变现更简单 - ezindie.com
让小产品的独立变现更简单 - ezindie.com
T
The Blog of Author Tim Ferriss
博客园 - 司徒正美
freeCodeCamp Programming Tutorials: Python, JavaScript, Git & More
有赞技术团队
有赞技术团队
量子位
S
SegmentFault 最新的问题
博客园 - 聂微东
博客园 - 【当耐特】
J
Java Code Geeks
美团技术团队
Hugging Face - Blog
Hugging Face - Blog
H
Help Net Security
V
V2EX
人人都是产品经理
人人都是产品经理
博客园 - Franky
罗磊的独立博客
Engineering at Meta
Engineering at Meta
A
About on SuperTechFans
奇客Solidot–传递最新科技情报
奇客Solidot–传递最新科技情报
酷 壳 – CoolShell
酷 壳 – CoolShell
云风的 BLOG
云风的 BLOG
Y
Y Combinator Blog
Apple Machine Learning Research
Apple Machine Learning Research

News | Mail Online

Ferrari and Mercedes drivers are among 'brazen' motorists stealing £1.2m of petrol a week as fuel prices soar due to Iran war Mystery over how teens drove off M1 bridge in crash that killed the pair as images show how minibus was struck by car in thousand-to-one twist of fate Business implicated in the methanol poisonings that killed two Aussie backpackers claims it's been cleared Parents' fury that army's failure to notice their son had gone missing for two weeks may have cost him his life Putin's shadow fleet sailors can claim asylum if Britain seizes their ships in the English Channel, ministers fear 'We are now in a world war': Chilling prediction by billionaire US hedge fund founder Ray Dalio - and the cycle of events that has put us 'two steps from conflict between major global powers' A judge was told it 'WASN'T NECESSARY' for Julian to show his face in court. Then he murdered a mum, her unborn baby, friend and her aunt in a crime that appalled Australia Widow of British pensioner, 77, killed in Canary Islands bus crash was among the 27 passengers sent to hospital after suspected brake failure sent it plunging down ravine Woman died when she slipped from Good Samaritan's grip as he tried to save her from bridge fall after boyfriend row Bus surfing idiots risk their lives by clinging onto back of the Number 114 to avoid paying £1.75 fare Iran claims US has agreed to release frozen assets but Washington denies the move as JD Vance holds peace talks in Pakistan Coroner accused of stealing valuables from the dead pleads no contest Old interview comes back to haunt Albo as the fuel crisis continues to hit Aussies hard How trusting my late mum's financial adviser turned out to be the most catastrophic money decision I've ever made Aspiring California Governor Eric Swalwell apologizes to wife in video denying sexual assault claims as calls for him to quit mount New renderings show details of 250-foot tall 'Arc de Trump' set to tower over DC as president confirms he has officially submitted plans Queue jumpers, loud chewers and cups of tea going cold... researchers reveal the things Britons love to hate Keir Starmer's digital ID scheme mocked as 'ridiculous' after minister confirms it will be optional - and will not include a person's biological sex Senior health officials discuss banning doctors from going on strike in bid to stop long-running dispute Cocaine worth £256m and 'heavier than an adult RHINO' found stashed in banana boxes in one of UK's biggest ever hauls Starmer calls NATO 'the single most effective military alliance the world has ever known' after Trump's threatens to quit the bloc - but admits Europe must do more NASA's Artemis II astronauts send first messages and display surprising ability after moon mission 'It's a smart move': What a source close to the Trumps told me about why Melania dropped Epstein bombshell: CAROLINE GRAHAM We're sitting on a goldmine! North Sea oil hits record high. So WHY won't Red Ed drop his Net Zero madness and back new drilling to give Britain a boost? The US took out Iranian leaders and facilities with surgical precision - but the Islamic Republic is winning the propaganda war... with comedy Lego videos, writes DAVID PATRIKARAKOS Two teens die after car plunges from bridge and crashes into minibus on motorway - as families spend hours trapped in traffic following road closure Parish church magazine forced to apologise after poet offended woke readers with verses on illegal migrants, benefit scroungers and fat people Rachel Reeves is warned fuel tax raid will push thousands of businesses 'to the brink', ramp up food costs for households and stoke inflation Trump says Melania 'had a right' to talk about Epstein but admits he might have handled surprise statement differently Nancy Pelosi calls for married wannabe Newsom successor to abandon crumbling campaign over sexual assault claims
Father faces backlash after his daughter, 10, suffered ho...
Caitlin Powell · 2026-06-26 · via News | Mail Online

Published: | Updated:

The family of a Queensland schoolgirl who suffered horrific facial burns after putting a squishy toy in a microwave has received 'twisted' comments from online trolls after she described the ordeal.

Violet Zerbst, 10, was squeezing a knock-off NeeDoh toy she had heated for 30 seconds when it exploded, spraying gel across her face and leaving her burned and blistered.

The youngster said her plan was simply to heat the stress-relieving toy to make it softer.

But since the Zerbst family shared their story publicly, they have been slammed online. 

'There's thousands of comments and they're just brutal,' Violet's father Jody Zerbst told news.com.au.

'They're ranging from… how stupid the parents are to like, "Oh, that kid deserves to burn. How dumb can you be" and just really twisted, sort of mean stuff.'

Some social media users accused Mr Zerbst and his wife Kate of a lack of parental supervision.

'[It is] parental neglect not teaching kids about hot liquids and the dangers,' one user wrote, while another said it is 'common sense' not to use a microwave.

Violet Zerbst was squeezing a knock-off NeeDoh toy she had heated for 30 seconds when it exploded and burned her face

Her father, Jody Zerbst (pictured with a partially recovered Violet), said the family received thousands of 'brutal' comments after they shared Violet's ordeal

Despite the backlash, Mr Zerbst said the family handled it with humour. 

'All Violet's older sisters just thought it was hilarious... One of my daughters got on and said, "Throw him in jail!"' he added.

Mr Zerbst, who has a background in teaching science, said speaking to the media about his daughter's experience had informed some Australians. 

'A lot of people were sharing with their partners or other people,' he said.

Violet had been playing with a replica of Schylling's NeeDoh product, a cube-shaped stress ball filled with gel-like contents, when the incident occurred.

She did not realise the toy could become hot and unstable when she put it in the microwave to soften it.

NeeDoh toys made by Schylling come with a warning on their packaging, but some knock-off versions are not clearly labelled.

'I went to the microwave and I put it in and I was just waiting... and then I got it and I was just squishing it,' Violet told 7News on Tuesday.

Violet had been playing with a replica of Schylling's NeeDoh product, a cube-shaped stress ball filled with gel-like contents (Pictured, a Schylling brand NeeDoh toy)

'The liquid was like at the bottom and then it went into a sort of ball and it burst onto my face.'

The young girl said she was in 'a lot of pain' and could 'feel her skin coming off'. 

Similar incidents involving the toys have happened overseas, notably in the US and UK.

Mr Zerbst was watching the FIFA World Cup when the incident unfolded.

He said he called paramedics while his wife tried to soothe their daughter's pain by holding her face under cold water.

'I was trying to enjoy the soccer,' he said.

'It was Sunday morning and I think Brazil were playing and I felt a little bit guilty actually because I had made the comment that if it was heated up it might be a bit softer - but not thinking that Violet would put it in the microwave.

'It's just quite horrific for a parent to have to hear their child screaming and know that they'd burnt themselves.'

NeeDoh toys made by Schylling come with a warning on their packaging, but some knock-off versions are not clearly labelled

Mr Zerbst recalled how parts of the skin on her face had peeled away.

'The skin sort of all peeled off and, as it was in her mouth, she was trying to spit this stuff out,' he said.

Paramedics treated Violet at home, then took her to Gold Coast University Hospital where she stayed for a week. 

'Everybody from the ambos, to the nurses... they were just amazing and compassionate and expert and thorough,' he said.

'I just thought, my god we are so privileged here.'

Violet suffered no eye damage and the burns were superficial, with no scarring expected. 

The toys have surged in popularity in recent months thanks to viral social media posts.

Hurley Burley Toys' Olivia Van Der Neer said NeeDoh toys were selling out due to their popularity on TikTok. 

'We have upwards of 30 calls a day and new ones are almost impossible to track down,' she said.

Despite being on shelves for years, demand has surged, with Ms Van Der Neer saying crowds of children are now searching for them.

There are also many fakes being sold online due to shortages, which can be more dangerous due to a lack of regulation.