Toddler in Bantul Found Abandoned with Hands and Mouth Bound by Tape

A social media post detailing the discovery of a toddler with her mouth, legs, and hands bound by tape in a rented room in the Kedaton area, Pleret, Bantul, has gone viral. The three-year-old girl was left by her mother and was found by local residents.

According to information shared on the ‘Waton Berkah Gunungkidul’ Facebook group, the child’s father is currently working in Jakarta, leaving the child in the care of her mother. The mother was last seen leaving on a motorcycle on Monday afternoon, leaving the child alone in the rental unit. Residents began hearing faint crying from the unit after dusk.

Mamat, the landlord and a witness, stated that after hearing repeated crying from the neighbouring unit, he became suspicious. At approximately 9:00 PM, after finding no response to knocks on the door, he used a crowbar to pry open a window. He then sent a smaller resident into the room to investigate.

Upon entering, the resident discovered the child in a corner of the room, wearing only clothes and a nappy, with her hands, feet, and mouth bound with clear adhesive tape. Fortunately, the tape on the child’s mouth was slightly loose, allowing her to cry, and the room’s air conditioning and fan were running.

Local residents immediately removed the tape and alerted the neighbourhood head (RT) and the police. While residents attempted to contact the mother, she did not answer, prompting them to contact the father in Jakarta. The mother reportedly returned on Tuesday morning after being contacted by her husband.

Saiful, the head of RT 7 Kedaton, noted that the family has been renting the property since 2023 and are not originally from Bantul. He added that the mother rarely socialised with neighbours. The child has since been taken to Gunungkidul by a relative of her father, and the police have been notified of the incident.