Sultan Outraged by Child Abuse at Little Aresha Daycare: No Place for Violence in Yogya

The Governor of the Special Region of Yogyakarta (DIY), Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono X, has expressed regret over the violence case that occurred at Little Aresha daycare. The Sultan emphasised that all forms of violence have no place in Yogyakarta and called for the legal process to proceed as it should. “My hope is that this is the first and last incident. Because in Jogja, we do not tolerate violence,” he said when met at the Kepatihan Complex on Monday (27/4/2026). The Sultan stated that the case is still ongoing in the police realm and he is still investigating the background that led to the child abuse at the daycare. When asked about the police’s determination of 13 suspects, the Sultan expressed his support for the law enforcement apparatus’s steps. He asked all parties to wait for the investigation results without preempting the ongoing process. “They are already suspects; the police have conducted their investigation. Let’s just wait, don’t preempt. We respect the applicable legal process,” he said. The Sultan, also the Governor of DIY, has scheduled a special meeting with the DIY Department of Women’s Empowerment, Child Protection, and Population Control (DP3AP2) on Tuesday morning (28/4/2026) to obtain a detailed report on the handling of this case. Although still awaiting an official report from the relevant agencies, the Sultan assured that the DIY Regional Government has taken steps to protect the victims since the beginning, including efforts to secure the children affected by the violence at Little Aresha Daycare. The Sultan emphasised that the assistance provided is not limited to security aspects but also includes physical and psychological treatment for the children. “Automatically, we provide that (protection) for the children. We also need treatment for the children, so we have taken steps from the start,” said the Sultan. In closing, the Sultan again reminded that similar incidents should not recur in the future to maintain security and a healthy space for child growth and development in Yogyakarta.