Parents of Little Aresha Daycare Victims in Jogja Fight for Justice

A number of parents of victims of child abuse and neglect at Little Aresha Daycare in Yogyakarta met with the Yogyakarta City Government’s Legal Aid and Human Rights Working Team yesterday. Here is a series of their efforts in seeking justice related to the case.

Yogyakarta City Government Accompanies Until Verdict

The Yogyakarta City Government (Pemkot Jogja) gathered the parents of victims of abuse and neglect at Little Aresha Daycare. The city government conveyed three priorities in handling the case.

“We aim to take the most optimal legal steps possible. We also provide legal advocacy services and accompaniment until the verdict. In addition, this is on a pro bono basis, meaning no fees are charged to the victims’ parents,” said the Head of the Yogyakarta City Government’s Legal Aid and Human Rights Working Team, Saverius Vanny Noviandri, at the City Hall, Wednesday (6/5/2026).

Vanny stated that the first priority of his team is to ensure maximum personal accountability, both for the caregivers or the school principal and others. Given the results of the team’s investigation, there are suspected violations of the Child Protection Law, the Criminal Code (KUHP), and the Health Law.

The second priority concerns institutional accountability. As is known, the daycare is under a foundation.

“And there is the Foundation Law, and of course, there are provisions that will be further examined for any violations. Moreover, there is now corporate criminal liability in the KUHP, where the foundation is one form of corporation,” he said.

“Well, one form of punishment for a corporation is compensation and also the dissolution of the corporation, if this meets the requirements, we will certainly demand it,” Vanny continued.

Escort Restitution Rights

The third priority from the Yogyakarta City Government’s Legal Aid and Human Rights Working Team is the fulfilment of restitution rights for the victims.

“Well, regarding restitution, we will also escort it; we will partner with relevant agencies so that these restitution rights can be fulfilled,” Vanny said.

Norman Windarto, a parent of one of the Little Aresha Daycare victims, said the City Government’s Legal Team also explained the articles that will be applied. This means layered articles, not combined ones.

“Well, that is the key point for us parents; we hope the commitment from the legal representatives is that the applied articles are not combined but personal,” he said.

“So, not taking the maximum highest limit but applying each layered article. That is why we are using this facility,” Norman added.

Regarding restitution, Norman will follow the City Government’s Legal Team. On the amount of compensation demanded, Norman said he is still waiting for the indicators set by the Witness and Victim Protection Agency (LPSK).

“Yes, because there is the LPSK law and there are restitution rights, we are taking that point. It was explained that restitution rights include compensation,” he said.

182 Abuse Complaints

Meanwhile, the Yogyakarta City Women’s and Children’s Protection Technical Implementing Unit (UPT PPA) stated that it has received hundreds of complaints related to the alleged child abuse and neglect case at Little Aresha Daycare.

“As of today, there are 182 complaints received,” said the Head of UPT PPA Yogyakarta City, Udiyati Ardiani, at the City Hall, Wednesday (6/5/2026).

Of the 182 complaints, the City PPA Unit has assessed 130 individuals. The rest are about to receive legal accompaniment from the Yogyakarta City Government.

“From the 182, we have assessed about 130 parents. Then, approximately 40-50 people are ready for the legal process, and today letters of attorney are being prepared for the process,” she said.

Ardiani hopes that the 130 parents will use the accompaniment from the Yogyakarta City Government.

“From those 50 people, today we open the door. We hope these parents know how the next accompaniment process works and they can make complaints accompanied by the legal team,” she said.

“So this is perhaps just the beginning; then for those who have not yet complained or have not received legal accompaniment, we open our doors,” Ardiani continued.

Regarding the types of complaints received by the Yogyakarta City PPA Unit, Ardiani said they relate to alleged violence against children who were once cared for at Little Aresha.

“The complaints are for alleged violence experienced by their children, both those who have graduated and those who were there during the raid yesterday,” she said.

Petition Urges UGM

The parents of Little Aresha Daycare victims assess that UGM has not yet imposed sanctions on one of its lecturers who served as an advisor to the daycare. The victims’ parents will create a petition to UGM.

“We, according to the discussion with friends, will issue a petition,” said Norman Windarto, a parent of one of the victims, to reporters at the City Hall, Wednesday (6/5/2026).

The petition, Norman continued, is to accelerate sanctions against the lecturer. Given that there has been no sanction against the UGM lecturer to date.

“The petition to UGM is to what extent the process of imposing sanctions has gone. So we will issue a petition and we plan to go to UGM as well,” he said.

Regarding the appropriate sanction for the UGM lecturer who advised Little Aresha Daycare, Norman mentioned heavy sanctions. Because the lecturer indirectly knew about the practices occurring at the daycare.

“Yes, what do we want? UGM to give the heaviest possible sanctions to the party involved there (in the alleged abuse and neglect case at Little Aresha Daycare),” he said.

In fact, Norman hopes the sanction will lead to dismissal.

“Yes, we will try to do that, at least like that (dismissal),” he said.

Previously reported, the name of one lecturer from the Faculty of Cultural Sciences (FIB) UGM was implicated in the alleged violence case in the Little Aresha Foundation environment because she served as an advisor to the foundation. Regarding this, the faculty is still coordinating with university leadership regarding the individual’s employment status.

FIB Dean Prof Setiadi confirmed that Dr Cahyaningrum Dewojati, who served as an advisor to the Little Aresha Foundation, is an active lecturer at the faculty. However, he emphasised that FIB UGM is institutionally