Australian Kmart stores are implementing new safety measures for kids after a young 6-year-old girl came close to losing her eye in an in-store accident.
In January 2020, young Cecilia Chen stumbled onto a metal clothes hanger at a Sydney Kmart while shopping with her grandma.
Chen's right eyelid was nearly totally pulled off in the accident, according to 9News.
GRAPHIC CONTENT WARNING: We won’t be publishing the images of the incident, but consider this a fair warning. Images can be viewed HERE.
This is just one of the numerous instances in recent years of youngsters getting hurt on dangerous metal hooks in retail stores.
As of Monday, a Kmart spokeswoman announced that rubber caps for the hanging rail arms are similar to the one that Chen was hurt on.
Luckily here in NZ stores the caps keeping our little ones safer in-store have been in place for the last 18 months.
Chen's mother, Jill Huang, told Aussies 9news.com.au on Friday that her daughter's wound required two major surgeries to treat and left her with a permanent scar.
Despite Kmart being sentenced to pay AU$60,000 ($NZ65,000) in damages for the accident, most of that money will be spent on legal bills that Huang owed for refusing to settle the incident out of court.
Kmart earlier acknowledged to the court that it had failed in its responsibility to treat Chen with care.
The mother revealed that any extra cash would be used to help Chen with potential future expenses.
Despite the court ruling in her favour, Huang insisted that it did not seem like a positive outcome for her and her daughter.
