Police Arrest 13 Suspects After Daycare Raid
A daycare abuse case in Indonesia has triggered national outrage after police found children allegedly tied up at a daycare centre in Yogyakarta.
Authorities arrested 13 women in late April on suspicion of child abuse and neglect at the Little Aresha daycare centre. The suspects include the owner, principal and caregivers, according to police.
The case came to light after investigators raided the facility and found more than 100 children enrolled at the centre. Police said some children, aged between two and six, had their hands and feet tied. Some were allegedly tethered to doors.
The centre was also found to be operating without the required licences, according to officials.
The case has shocked parents and rights groups across Indonesia. It has also raised urgent questions about the safety of private childcare centres in the country.
One father, Aldewa Anjasmara Halip, said his three-year-old daughter used to cry every time she had to go to the daycare. He initially thought she simply wanted to stay home, but later learned that she may have been traumatised there.
Allegations Point to Poor Oversight and Overcrowding
Investigators said many children were allegedly slapped, pinched and physically restrained.
According to Indonesia’s child protection agency, caregivers told police that such punishment was used to make children easier to manage.
Officials said the centre was overcrowded and poorly supervised. The facility operated from a house with five rooms. In one room, as many as 30 children were reportedly kept in a small space.
Investigators said caregivers were not properly trained and were handling around 10 children each. Government guidelines recommend one caregiver for every four children, though those guidelines are not legally binding.
The allegations surfaced after one caregiver reportedly became a whistleblower.
Since the case became public, the daycare centre has been vandalised, with angry messages spray-painted on its walls and windows.
Government Promises National Review
Indonesia’s Minister for Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection, Arifah Fauzi, said the case should become a starting point for a national review of daycare centres.
She said all childcare facilities must meet strong child protection standards.
The minister also noted that Indonesia does not have an official figure for the total number of daycare centres. Many operate under different models, including home-based centres, community services, early childhood education centres and kindergartens.
Authorities are now urging all daycare centres to register officially.
Child protection officials have also called for routine inspections, stronger caregiver qualification rules and better minimum standards for facilities.
Parents affected by the case said they felt betrayed. One mother said her four-year-old son, who has delayed speech, had earlier shown bruises and bumps. Caregivers reportedly told her they were caused by normal play.
Police are expected to complete their investigation by late June. A report will then be sent to prosecutors, who will decide whether formal charges should be filed.
The case has become one of Indonesia’s most alarming alleged child abuse scandals and has intensified pressure for stronger childcare regulation.
