Series of Atrocities at Little Aresha Daycare in Yogyakarta Revealed in Court
A number of cruel acts by eleven caregivers in the alleged abuse case at Little Aresha Daycare in Yogyakarta were revealed during the first hearing at the Yogyakarta District Court. In the indictment read out during the trial on Tuesday (18/8), the public prosecutor detailed several actions allegedly committed by the defendants against the victims. Identical charges against the defendants were read once, while charges involving only one or two defendants were read individually.
The eleven defendants listened to the indictment read by the prosecutor for approximately two hours. They worked as caregivers at the daycare: FN (30), NF (26), Lis (34), EN (26), SRm (54), DR (32), HP (47), ZA (30), SRj (50), DO (31), and DM (28).
“For their actions, while at Little Aresha daycare they carried out tying up, making the babies sleep on the floor,” said prosecutor Sigit Kristianto after the trial on Tuesday (18/8/2026). “The victims were placed in a dark room, and the room measuring 3x4 metres, which should have been for four or five people, was used for 17 people, so they were crammed together without ventilation or air conditioning,” he continued.
The prosecutor also mentioned a particularly cruel act by one of the defendants, namely dunking a victim’s head into a bathtub. “There were some children who experienced that (having their heads submerged in a bath). Children can be fussy, that is normal, and perhaps the defendant was overcome by emotion. We will see in the trial why it happened like that,” said the prosecutor.
After the indictment was read, the presiding judge, Sunaryanto, allowed the defendants to consult with their legal counsel. They discussed their response to the indictment, whether to accept it or file a defence. “There is no objection, Your Honour,” said one of the defendants’ lawyers. “Very well, so there is no objection or challenge,” replied presiding judge Sunaryanto.
The chairwoman of the foundation that oversees Little Aresha daycare, Diyah Kusumastuti, also known as DK (51), faced trial after the hearing of the eleven caregivers in the child abuse case. In that session, the public prosecutor revealed a series of instructions Diyah allegedly gave to the caregivers.
The hearing to read the indictment against Diyah was held in the Nusantara courtroom of the Yogyakarta District Court, starting at 2.15 pm local time, less than an hour after the previous trial of the eleven defendants. In the indictment, the prosecutor again described the caregivers’ treatment of the victims. The treatment, including tying up children, not dressing them, and making them sleep on the floor without a mat, was allegedly instructed by Diyah since the daycare began operating in 2022.
“The treatment 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,” the indictment read by the prosecutor stated.
Diyah and the head teacher, AP (42), allegedly visited or checked the classrooms. They would reprimand caregivers who did not follow instructions. “If there was a caregiver who did not tie up and swaddle a child, they would be reprimanded directly by defendant Diyah Kusumastuti, who would say, ‘Just tie them up, dear, so they are safe’ or ‘Just tie them up, dear, so they do not go anywhere’ or ‘Just swaddle them, dear, so they do not move much’ or ‘Just swaddle them’ or ‘Just tie them up so you are not overwhelmed’ and other words that essentially directed the caregivers to swaddle or tie up the children with rope,” the prosecutor explained.
In response to the prosecutor’s indictment, Diyah, through her legal counsel, stated that she accepted the charges and would not file an objection. “Thank you, Your Honour, we will not file an exception,” said Diyah’s lawyer. “Very well, so there is no objection from the defendant. The next hearing will proceed with the examination of evidence,” replied presiding judge Sunaryanto.
After the trial, prosecutor Sigit Kristianto explained that the charges against Diyah were broadly the same as those against the eleven caregivers. However, there was an additional element of ordering or instructing. “The charges are the same as those against the eleven previous defendants, yes, there is an additional element of ordering and allowing,” Sigit explained.
The additional elements are 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.