5-Yr-Old Girl Loses 4 Teeth After Robot Kicks Her In The Face During Science Museum Visit, May Be Left With Permanent Scar

What was meant to be a fun school trip to a science museum turned into a nightmare for a five-year-old girl from Xiangyang, Hubei, after she was struck in the face by a robot during a performance.

According to Chinese media reports, the incident happened in November 2025, when the girl visited the Xiangyang Science and Technology Museum with her kindergarten. 

More than nine months on, the girl has undergone several treatments for her injuries, while her family is still trying to reach an agreement with the science museum, robot operator, and kindergarten over responsibility and compensation.

During the robot performance, the machine suddenly performed a roundhouse kick without warning, striking the girl, who was standing nearby, directly in the face.

She reportedly fell to the ground immediately, with one of her front teeth knocked out on the spot and another badly loosened. Two more baby teeth subsequently fell out due to the impact, while her gums were also severely injured.

She also suffered a wound to her upper lip that required stitches, leaving behind a scar that may be difficult to completely remove. 

According to her mother, Ms Wang, the girl could only eat liquid food for more than six months after the accident, while her gums repeatedly became inflamed and caused high fevers.

She has since undergone five laser treatments to reduce the scar, but doctors have warned that it may be difficult to completely remove and could stay with her for years to come. The accident has also taken an emotional toll, with her mother saying she has become more withdrawn and reluctant to leave the house.

A science museum rep later acknowledged that the robot was still in its training and rehearsal stage at the time of the incident.

He said the accident happened because staff from the outsourced operator, Anda Chuangzhan, “failed to properly judge the safety distance”, resulting in the robot being operated incorrectly.

The girl’s family, however, questioned why basic safety measures such as barriers, warning tape or staff supervision were not in place. They also felt it was concerning that the robot was allowed to perform such a "high-risk move" with children standing nearby.

Both parties have yet to reach an agreement on compensation. The family initially estimated that their daughter’s treatment could cost 420,000 yuan (about S$79,400), but lowered their request to a one-off payment of 150,000 yuan (about S$28,400) to avoid having to negotiate compensation again in the future.

However, in the latest round of negotiations, Anda Chuangzhan offered just 20,000 yuan (S$3,800) as a “humanitarian payment”, on top of the medical expenses. 

The company has not acknowledged liability and instead advised the family to seek legal action.

For now, the family can only wait as the science museum, Anda Chuangzhan and the kindergarten continue to negotiate over who should take responsibility and how the girl should be compensated.