Revealed: Series of Orders from Little Aresha Daycare Foundation Chair to Carers
The chair of the foundation overseeing Little Aresha daycare, Diyah Kusumastuti alias DK (51), appeared in court following the trial of 11 carers in connection with a child abuse case. During the hearing, the Public Prosecutor presented a series of instructions Diyah allegedly gave to the carers.
The hearing, with the agenda of reading the indictment against defendant Diyah, was held in the Nusantara courtroom of the Jogja District Court, starting at 14:15 WIB, less than an hour after the previous trial of the 11 defendants.
In the indictment, the prosecutor again detailed the carers’ treatment of the victims. The treatment, which included tying children up, not dressing them, and making them sleep on the floor without bedding, was allegedly instructed by Diyah from the time the daycare began operating in 2022.
“The treatment described above has been carried out since Little Aresha daycare began operating. The carers worked in one class on a rotating basis, and their duties were arranged and supervised by defendant Diyah Kusumastuti,” the indictment read.
Diyah, together with the head teacher AP (42), would visit or check on the classes. They would reprimand carers who did not follow the instructions.
“If there was a carer who did not tie up and swaddle a child, they would be directly reprimanded by defendant Diyah Kusumastuti, who would say: ‘Just tie them up, dear, so they are safe’ or ‘Just tie them up, dear, so they don’t wander off’ or ‘Just swaddle them, dear, so they don’t move around much’ or ‘Just swaddle them’ or ‘Just tie them up so it’s not a hassle’, and other statements that essentially directed the carers to swaddle or tie up the children with rope,” the prosecutor stated.
In response to the indictment, Diyah’s legal counsel stated that they accepted it and would not file an objection.
“Thank you, Your Honour, we will not file an exception,” said Diyah’s legal counsel.
“Very well, that means there is no objection from the defendant. The trial will proceed to the evidentiary stage,” replied the presiding judge, Sunaryanto.
After the hearing, prosecutor Sigit Kristianto explained that the charges against Diyah were broadly the same as those against the 11 carers. However, there was an additional element of ordering or instructing.
“It is the same as the charges against the 11 previous defendants, yes, there is an additional element of ordering and allowing,” Sigit explained.
The additional element is set out in the 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.