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.