Heartbreaking Order from Foundation Head: Children Tied Up and Left Running Amok at Little Aresha

Harrowing facts have emerged from a reconstruction of the abuse case at the Little Aresha daycare in Yogyakarta. Children who were supposed to be cared for were instead tied up according to the instructions of suspect Diyah Kusumastuti, known as DK (51), the head of the foundation that oversees the daycare.

The reconstruction was held at the scene on Tuesday (9 June). The head of the Criminal Investigation Unit of the Yogyakarta City Police, Kompol Riski Adrian, stated that DK gave orders to the carers to tie up the children if they ran around or were unwilling to bathe.

‘One of the suspects explained that it was indeed conveyed by the head of the foundation: “If they run around or are difficult to manage when being bathed, just tie them up.” That is what one of the suspects said,’ Adrian stated after the reconstruction.

He explained that the children were even left tied up while they slept, indicating an element of neglect. ‘They were put to bed in a tied-up state, but on their backs. Even we as adults cannot move when tied up, so imagine the children,’ Adrian said.

‘Indeed, when we conducted the raid, we saw a child on their back, vomiting and crying because they could no longer move,’ he continued.

The binding took place from the time the victims arrived until they were picked up by their parents. The ties were only released when carers were documenting feeding and bathing activities to report to the parents.

‘It depends on the child. Some are picked up at 10.00, some at 12.00, some at 14.00, some at 17.00. It all depends on when the parents pick them up,’ he concluded.

There are 13 suspects in this case: DK (51), AP (42), FN (30), NF (26), Lis (34), EN (26), SRm (54), DR (32), HP (47), ZA (30), SRj (50), DO (31), and DM (28). When presented at the reconstruction, they were jeered and verbally abused by the victims’ emotional parents.