Little Aresha Headmistress Faces Same Charges as Foundation Chairwoman
The headmistress of Little Aresha daycare, Anita Palupi Indahsari, also known as AP (42), appeared in court today, following the earlier hearings of 11 caregivers and the foundation chairwoman. The headmistress and the foundation chairwoman face identical charges.
Unlike the previous indictment hearings for the 11 caregivers and the foundation chairwoman, the first hearing for defendant Anita, held in the Nusantara courtroom of the Yogyakarta District Court, was relatively brief.
This was because the charges concerning alleged violence against children were identical for all 13 defendants, so not all of the indictment was read out in full.
“Will the indictment be read in full or how, Mr Public Prosecutor?” asked Presiding Judge Sunaryanto during the hearing on Tuesday (18/8/2026).
“We will read the indictment in its main points, particularly the third charge, where we will read the description of the elements and the articles charged,” replied Public Prosecutor Sigit Kristianto.
The indictment read by the prosecutor included additional charges beyond the criminal element of violence against children.
The additional elements are set out in the following articles: first, Article 71 in conjunction with Article 62 paragraph (1) of Law Number 20 of 2003 on the National Education System, in conjunction with Article 20 letter c of Law Number 1 of 2023 on the Criminal Code, in conjunction with Appendix I Number 35 of Law Number 1 of 2026 on Criminal Adjustments.
Second, Article 9 paragraph 1 letter e in conjunction with Article 62 paragraph (1) of Law Number 8 of 1999 on Consumer Protection, in conjunction with Article 20 letter c of Law Number 1 of 2023 on the Criminal Code, in conjunction with Appendix I Number 14 of Law Number 1 of 2026 on Criminal Adjustments.
“Participating in the criminal act of operating an educational unit established without permission from the central or regional government,” explained Sigit.
As headmistress, Sigit stated, Anita Palupi, together with the foundation chairwoman, was responsible for overseeing the operational management of the educational facility. However, they instead issued instructions to commit violence against children.
In response to the indictment read out, AP and her legal counsel stated that they accepted it and did not lodge any objection.
Previously, the chairwoman of the foundation that oversees Little Aresha daycare, Diyah Kusumastuti, also known as DK (51), also underwent trial. The Public Prosecutor detailed a series of instructions given by Diyah to the caregivers.
The hearing for the reading of the indictment against defendant Diyah was held in the Nusantara courtroom of the Yogyakarta District Court, starting at 2.15 pm Western Indonesian Time, less than an hour after the previous hearing for the 11 defendants.
In the indictment, the prosecutor again described the treatment meted out by the caregivers. The treatment of the victims, such as binding them, not dressing them, and putting children to sleep on the floor without a mat, was instructed by Diyah from the time the daycare began operating in 2022.
“The treatment as described above has been carried out since Little Aresha daycare began operating. The caregivers worked in one class on a rotating basis and their duties were arranged and supervised by defendant Diyah Kusumastuti,” read the indictment presented by the prosecutor in court.
Diyah, together with headmistress AP (42), would visit or check on the classrooms. They would reprimand caregivers who did not follow instructions.
“If there was a caregiver who did not bind and swaddle the children, they would be reprimanded directly by defendant Diyah Kusumastuti together with defendant Anita Palupi Indahsari, saying: ‘just tie them up, dear, so they are safe’ or ‘just tie them up, dear, so they don’t go anywhere’ or ‘just swaddle them, dear, so they don’t move around much’ or ‘just swaddle them’ or ‘just tie them up so you are not overwhelmed’ and other similar statements that essentially directed the caregivers to swaddle or bind the children with rope,” the prosecutor stated.