Owner of Little Aresha Daycare in DIY Suspected to Be Active Judge, Supreme Court Conducts Verification
As many as 53 children are suspected to be victims of violence perpetrated by caregivers at Little Aresha Daycare in Yogyakarta City. Based on circulating information, the leader of the daycare foundation is an active judge.
Supreme Court spokesperson Yanto stated that he has received information regarding the matter. However, he has not yet been able to confirm the accuracy of the circulating reports.
“Yes, I’ll check first, because it’s a holiday, and I just heard about it in the afternoon news earlier. So, I’ll verify with the individual concerned, and we’ll let you know later,” he said when contacted by Republika on Sunday (26/4/2026).
Yanto added that his side cannot yet comment much on the actions to be taken, as the Supreme Court must first conduct an examination, particularly regarding the truth of the information.
“Yes, we’ll check the legal regulations first, whether, if it’s true, an active judge is allowed to hold such a management position; we’ll check if it’s permitted or not, that’s how it is. Then we’ll proceed,” he stated.
Previously, Yogyakarta Police confirmed the occurrence of inhumane acts by caregivers at Little Aresha Daycare located on Jalan Pakel Baru Utara, Sorosutan, Umbulharjo, Yogyakarta. The daycare has come under public scrutiny after going viral on social media. The findings initially emerged after authorities raided the location on Friday afternoon (24/4/2026).
Head of Criminal Investigation at Yogyakarta Police, Commissioner Riski Adrian, said that officers directly observed indications of improper treatment towards the children entrusted there. “Our officers saw directly that the children were treated inhumanely. Some had their legs tied, hands tied, and so on. That’s the general information I can provide,” he revealed at Yogyakarta Police headquarters on Saturday (25/4/2026).
In the enforcement action, police secured around 30 individuals consisting of caregivers, management personnel, and security staff. All are currently undergoing intensive examinations to delve into the alleged criminal acts of violence against children.
Based on preliminary data, there were 103 children entrusted at the daycare. Of that number, around 53 children are suspected to have experienced violence, with the majority of victims under two years old.
This case came to light following suspicions from parents. Several children were known to often cry and show fear when about to be dropped off at the daycare. Initially, parents considered it a normal reaction, but it later emerged that there were suspicions of abusive treatment.