Judge Explains Differing Sentences for 11 Little Aresha Daycare Carers
A panel of judges sentenced 11 carers at Little Aresha Daycare in Yogyakarta to varying prison terms, citing differences in their roles and length of service.
“Taking into account the defendants’ differing roles and differing periods of employment, the panel will impose sentences that it considers appropriate as set out above,” the judges said in their ruling at the Nusantara courtroom of the Yogyakarta District Court on Wednesday (28 October 2026).
The ruling was read out in turn by five judges in the presence of the 11 defendants, numbered from one to 11: HP (47), DR (32), SR (54), EN (26), ZA (30), DO (31), DM (28), SRj (50), Lis (34), FN (30) and NF (26). Their sentences ranged from two to three years.
“The first, third, fifth, seventh, ninth and eleventh defendants are each sentenced to two years and six months in prison,” presiding judge Sunaryanto said as he read the ruling.
“The second, fourth, sixth and tenth defendants are each sentenced to two years in prison, while the eighth defendant is sentenced to three years,” he added.
Each defendant was also fined Rp60 million, payable within one month, with a possible extension of up to one month from the date the ruling becomes legally binding. If the fine is not paid within the prescribed period, the defendants’ assets or income will be seized and auctioned.
“If seizure and auction do not yield enough, or cannot be carried out, the fine will be replaced by 52 days’ imprisonment,” the panel said.
The judges found all 11 defendants legally and convincingly guilty of jointly placing children in abusive and neglectful conditions, and of jointly committing repeated violence against children, as set out in the first and second charges.
The first charge was brought under Article 77B in conjunction with Article 76B of Law No. 35 of 2014, as last amended by Law No. 17 of 2016 on the enactment of Government Regulation in Lieu of Law No. 1 of 2016, amending the Child Protection Law. It was also linked to provisions of Law No. 1 of 2023 on the Criminal Code and Law No. 1 of 2026 on sentencing adjustments.
The second charge was brought under Article 80(1) in conjunction with Article 76C of Law No. 35 of 2014, as last amended by Law No. 17 of 2016, together with provisions of the 2023 Criminal Code and the 2026 law on sentencing adjustments.
The sentences were lighter than the public prosecutor’s demands of five years in prison and a Rp250 million fine. The panel also outlined mitigating circumstances in its ruling.
“The mitigating factors are that the defendants admitted and regretted their actions, have family dependants, had no prior convictions, and committed the acts because they were under financial pressure,” the judges said.