Police Raid Daycare in Yogyakarta Over Suspected Child Abuse

A childcare facility (daycare) named Little Aresha in Sorosutan, Umbulharjo, Yogyakarta City, DIY, was raided by police in connection with a suspected child abuse case on Friday afternoon (24/4).

The Head of Criminal Investigation at Yogyakarta Police Resort, Commissioner Riski Adrian, confirmed the raid.

“It is true, the Criminal Investigation Unit of Jogja Police Resort conducted a raid on a childcare facility in the Umbulharjo area this afternoon (Friday),” Adrian stated when contacted by reporters on Saturday (25/4), quoted from detikJogja.

Adrian mentioned that they suspect daycare management of committing acts of abuse against the entrusted children. The case is currently under investigation.

“Strong suspicion of committing a criminal act by treating children discriminatorily or placing, allowing, involving, or ordering the involvement of children in situations of improper treatment, neglect, or violence against children,” he said.

A parent and eyewitness, Noorman, said the raid stemmed from information received by parents in the afternoon.

“I don’t know the exact time of the raid, but it was around after 2 pm. My wife was contacted by her friend who also has a child placed there, informing about the raid,” Noorman said.

After receiving the news, Noorman’s wife immediately picked up their child from Little Aresha Daycare. He followed in the afternoon and found the situation crowded with parents and police.

“Then my wife picked up the child, and indeed there was a raid. I followed in the afternoon, and there were already many people picking up their children,” he said.

He said he was shown a video by the police during the raid process. From the video, the children’s conditions were deemed inhumane.

“I was shown the video by the police during the raid position. It turned out that the children were treated inhumanely while entrusted there,” he said.

Noorman added that several parties from the daycare management, including administrators and caregivers, were secured and taken to the police station for questioning.

Until now, Noorman said, parents are still awaiting developments in the case and hope for thorough handling.

“We ask that this case be followed up until it is resolved. If not followed up, we fear the case will just disappear,” he said.

One of the local residents with initials F (40) expressed shock at the suspected abuse case at the facility. According to F, the activities at the daycare appeared normal from the outside.

“It’s crowded, nothing unusual. Just pick-ups and drop-offs,” F said when met near the location today.

F also admitted to often hearing children’s cries from inside the building. However, she considered it normal since the entrusted children were still babies.

“Yes, crying often heard, it’s babies after all,” she said.

F stated that from her observations, there was nothing suspicious visible from the outside. The daily activities at the daycare were deemed to run normally.

“From the outside, it looks normal, nothing wrong,” she revealed.