These images show two young children being terrified half to death by a masked woman while trying to ride a lift up to their apartment in an incident that has landed both of them in therapy.
The incident took place in Xinluo District, in the city of Longyan, in Fujian Province in China, on 28th April.
Distressing CCTV footage filmed from inside the lift shows the two young girls getting into it and pressing the button to go up.
But before the lift doors can close, a woman wearing a scary white mask appears in front of them and reportedly threatens them.
The doors begin to close, but someone on the other side appears to press the button to open them again.
The elder of the two little girls presses the button for the doors to close and they begin to do so before again opening at the last second.
This happens a few more times before the girls manage to get the doors to close and the lift begins to go up.
Masked woman scares two girls in elevator in Xinluo District, China, April 28, 2025. She prevented them from closing the elevator door. Note: Photo is a screenshot from a video. (AsiaWire/NX)
But no sooner have they reached the second floor than the lift doors open again, and the masked woman is there in front of them, scaring them one more time before running off.
The little girls press the door button for the lift doors to close but they open again at the last second.
The girls press the button again and the lift goes up, now stopping on the third floor, where the masked woman is waiting for them, apparently taunting them as they try to get the doors to close again.
This continues for some time and on a number of floors before finally the lift goes up to the 32nd floor with the girls reduced to tears, clearly terrified.
There, a man, apparently the children's father, is waiting for them.
Masked woman scares two girls in elevator in Xinluo District, China, April 28, 2025. She prevented them from closing the elevator door. Note: Photo is a screenshot from a video. (AsiaWire/NX)
He later told local media that his daughters were left traumatised by the incident and are now in therapy.
The local authorities investigated the incident, and the young woman and her parents apologised to the family of the two young girls, saying that it was just a prank.
The young girl's family, not named, has not pursued the matter further, taking the young woman and her family at their word that their apology was sincere.
(Joseph Golder / newsX)