The Meaning of Aresha in Islam is Shelter, But Daycare in DIY Abuses Children by Tying Their Legs
Police from the Yogyakarta City Police raided a childcare foundation or daycare named Little Aresha on Friday (24/4/2026). The raid was a follow-up to a report from a former employee of the institution who directly witnessed inhumane childcare practices.
“Initially, the employee saw that the treatment of babies or entrusted children was inhumane. She felt it went against her conscience because she saw abuse and neglect, so she chose to resign and report it,” said Yogyakarta City Police Chief Kombes Pol Eva Guna Pandia on Saturday (25/4/2026).
The Yogyakarta City Police recorded a total of 103 children who had been entrusted at the childcare facility, with 53 of them verified to have experienced physical and verbal violence. Yogyakarta City Police Criminal Investigation Unit Head Kompol Rizky Adrian said the victims’ age range was very vulnerable, from babies aged zero to three months up to toddlers under two years old.
According to him, based on the caregivers’ work period of more than one year, this violent behaviour is suspected to have been ongoing for a long time. The police are now conducting marathon examinations of the suspects.
The Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta (DIY) Regional Government emphasised that it will not tolerate perpetrators of child violence at the Little Aresha daycare. “Every form of violence against children is a serious violation of human rights that cannot be tolerated,” said Head of the DIY Women’s Empowerment, Child Protection, and Population Control Agency (DP3AP2) Erlina Hidayati Sumardi in a statement in Yogyakarta on Saturday.
Therefore, the DIY Regional Government urges that all parties involved in the alleged child violence violations be processed in accordance with legal regulations in a transparent, professional, and just manner.
“We convey our sincere sympathy and empathy to the children who became victims and to the affected families. Children are a trust that must be protected together,” she said.
As part of protection efforts, the DIY DP3AP2 together with the Yogyakarta City DP3AP2KB, Yogyakarta City Child Protection Agency, and the DIY Victim Violence Protection Forum have been and will continue to provide psychosocial support for the child victims and assistance to families through integrated services. They are also coordinating with relevant agencies to ensure optimal and sustainable recovery for the victims.