A nursing student has apologized for mishandling babies and posting photos of them online while she was interning at a children's hospital in China.
Xiao Shiyu, a Zhejiang University student, was working at the school-affiliated hospital in April when she allegedly snapped photos of the newborns with her cell phone camera, Asia One notes.
The pictures, which show the babies being held up without neck support, were posted with captions such as "This makes me laugh my head off. You even know how to mimic the dead," according to the report.
A newborn's head should be supported because the baby has not yet developed strong neck muscles. If a baby's head snaps back, it can cause damage including blindness, paralysis or death.
Soon after the images began circulating online, the university issued a statement apologizing for Xiao's actions and saying they "violated newborn nursing regulations and went against professional ethics," China Daily reports.
Xiao also issued an apology on her blog: "I hope Internet users and parents can forgive me for my childish behavior. I will learn a lesson and consciously show professional integrity," she wrote, according to a United Press International report.
According to China Daily, Xiao has also been ordered to end her internship at the hospital.
However, at least one associate professor said she doesn't believe Xiao's intentions were malicious.
"She told me she just did it for fun and didn't imagine the pictures would trigger the unexpected calamity. I believe she meant no harm," Shen Beijuan told Asia One.