32 Named Suspects in Little Aresha Daycare Case, Latest Include Kindergarten Teachers

The alleged child abuse case at Little Aresha Daycare in Yogyakarta continues to draw in new suspects, with three people recently detained, two of whom are teachers.

To date, police have named a total of 32 suspects in the Little Aresha daycare case. One suspect who failed to attend questioning on Tuesday (28/7) has been scheduled for examination next week.

“Thirty-two suspects. Those we have yet to question as suspects number one. As for the new suspects, we are still conducting further investigation,” said the Head of the Women and Children Protection Unit at the Yogyakarta Police Criminal Investigation Division, First Inspector Apri Sawitri, when contacted by detikJogja on Tuesday (28/7/2026).

Of that total, five are new suspects. However, only four of them underwent questioning at Yogyakarta Police Headquarters on Tuesday (28/7).

“Four suspects attended. The one who did not come was a carer. Those who came today were one household staff member, one carer, and two kindergarten teachers. The reason for the absence was that her legal counsel was unable to accompany her,” she explained.

Of the four suspects, only one carer was not detained. She was spared custody because she had recently given birth and has a baby.

“Of those who came today, four in total, three were detained. The one who was not detained has a baby, as she was recently on maternity leave and had just given birth. She is a carer,” she said.

Police had previously named carers, administrative staff, household staff and even security guards as suspects, each charged under different articles. Some face charges of discriminatory treatment, child neglect and omission under the Child Protection Law.

The case came to light when police raided the Little Aresha daycare on 24 April 2026. Investigations revealed that children entrusted to the facility were tied up and only released when their parents came to collect them.

The Chief of Yogyakarta Police, Commissioner Eva Guna Pandia, said the children had been subjected to inhumane treatment by the carers. Although she did not go into detail, she revealed some of what the carers had done.

“This inhumane treatment included placing children in one overcrowded room with very minimal air circulation, and tying them with cloth fashioned like rope, fastening them to the door,” Pandia said at a press conference at Yogyakarta Police Headquarters on Monday (27/4).