A shocking child abuse scandal has erupted at a daycare center in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, with police arresting 13 suspects including the director. Investigations have revealed that at least 53 toddlers were allegedly tied up and crammed into tiny rooms, all because there was a staff shortage and concerns the children might “disturb others”.
The implicated daycare, ‘Little Arisa’, was raided by police last Friday (April 24), following a report by a former employee. Police discovered several rooms as small as about 9 square meters, each packed with up to 20 toddlers, most of them under the age of two.
Investigators said the suspects confessed that due to staff shortages, they tied up some children to prevent them from “disturbing others”.
Police confirmed that the center was caring for around 100 children, with more than half suspected to have experienced abuse or neglect.
Many of the victims’ parents are shocked by the revelations.
Norman, a 42-year-old civil servant, said both of his children attended this daycare. He was originally attracted by the air-conditioned rooms, variety of activities, and positive image, with each child charged about 1.1 million Indonesian rupiah (around 250 ringgit) per month.
Norman said the caregivers usually appeared gentle, spoke softly, and looked very devout. He only later learned from police that his 2-year-old son was among the bound victims. His son had been repeatedly hospitalized for pneumonia lately, and Norman suspects it was related to the child being forced to sleep naked on a cold floor.
Another parent posted a widely-viewed video on social media platform TikTok. In the video, a young girl tells her mother that teachers had tied her hands and feet and sealed her mouth so her mother wouldn’t hear her crying.
Authorities also confirmed the implicated daycare was operating without a license. The Indonesian Child Protection Commission pointed out that, of about 3,000 daycares nationwide, many are unlicensed. The mayor of Yogyakarta has promised a full inspection and to raise public awareness of checking the qualifications of childcare centers.
According to Indonesia's child protection laws, the 13 people involved face a maximum penalty of 5 years in prison and a fine of 100 million rupiah (about 23,000 ringgit).