Gruesome footage of a toddler falling victim to two successive hit-and-run accidents and then being ignored by many passers-by at the scene last week in southern China continued to galvanize the nation Monday , prompting a fierce debate on the state of morality in Chinese society . A security camera captured the horrific incident last Thursday outside a hardware market in Foshan , Guangdong Province . Two-year-old Wang Yue was seen toddling in the middle of a narrow street and looking around , oblivious to a fast-approaching white van . The disturbing video shows the van knocking the girl over . The driver briefly stops with the girl underneath the van , before continuing on , its rear tires slowly rolling over her small body . The girl is left barely moving in her own blood as several pedestrians and cyclists pass by . Minutes later , another small truck drives over Wang without slowing down , the video shows . More passers-by walked , cycled or drove around her motionless body without stopping -- until a woman carrying a sack appeared 10 minutes after the initial collision . Dropping her sack , she quickly moved the girl to safety and went to look for help . Wang remained in critical condition Monday afternoon in a military hospital in the nearby city of Guangzhou , her father told CNN . `` I 'm still so worried , '' said Wang Chichang , who runs a hardware store in the Foshan market , as he waited for updates from doctors . At the time of the accident , Wang was busy tending his shop while his wife was hanging laundry , and neither noticed their daughter had wandered outside , state media reported . `` I feel helpless and angry , '' the father said . `` Had one passer-by stopped to help earlier , this whole thing would n't have been so tragic . '' Police have caught and detained both drivers , state media reported . Wang , the father , told CNN that the van driver had earlier called to offer the family money , but refused to turn himself in . The heroine in the video turned out to be a 58-year-old scavenger named Chen Xianmei . `` Blood was coming out her nose and mouth , '' Chen told local reporters . `` I did n't understand why no one else had carried her from the street . '' In emotional video posted online , the girl 's wailing mother bows on her hands and knees , her forehead resting on the ground at Chen 's feet -- a symbol of extreme deference to show the family 's deep gratitude for her daughter 's rescuer . The mother is inconsolable as loved ones lead her -- her body as limp as a rag doll 's -- from the scene . The grainy footage of the accidents went viral on Chinese Internet within minutes of posting . By Monday afternoon , it had become the most viewed topic on Sina Weibo , China 's equivalent of Twitter , with more than 4 million tweets discussing the video . `` This kind of news sends chills down my spine every time , '' a user named `` the silent wolverine '' wrote . `` We once believed in a world filled with love and were taught by the government on maintaining high moral standards -- but the cold reality just keeps flying in the face of our belief . '' Echoing such sentiment , Wang 's father said her tragedy is more than just personal . `` If our society continues to be like this , my child 's case wo n't be the last one , '' he said . While netizens directed their anger on the indifferent passers-by and lamented vanishing morality in society , many also see a glimmer of hope through Chen 's action . `` The scavenger probably never imagined she was actually 'richer ' than many of us , '' user `` Van-stephen '' commented on Weibo . `` She follows her conscience , which many of us have already lost . '' In recent years , assisting victims in traffic accidents or other emergency situations has become controversial in China . In an attempt to cover costly medical expenses , several senior citizens , injured in accidents that were their own fault , turned against people who helped them at the scene by suing the good Samaritans for compensation , according to state media . Despite the potential trouble and some criticism that she was seeking fame , Chen appeared unfazed . `` I did n't think of anything at the time , '' she told local reporters . `` I just wanted to save the girl . ''
The toddler was the victim of two successive hit-and-run accidents . The incident has galvanized public debate in China about morality . Her father said she 's is in a critical condition in a military hospital in Guangzhou . Police have caught and detained two drivers .