Yogyakarta Mayor Confirms Little Aresha Daycare Lacks Operating Permit

Yogyakarta Mayor Hasto Wardoyo has confirmed that the Little Aresha Daycare in Umbulharjo, Yogyakarta City, suspected of abusing children, does not hold an operating permit. “As happened yesterday, there was no permit, only a foundation but no permission. There is no permit as a TPA (childcare facility), permit as PAUD or kindergarten,” Hasto explained when met after attending an event in Yogyakarta City on Sunday (26/4/2026). To ensure such incidents do not recur, Hasto stated that his side will conduct sweeps of places offering childcare services in Yogyakarta City. “We will sweep places that provide childcare in Yogyakarta City,” Hasto clarified. “Actually, there is already an SOP, there is a procedure when they apply for permits, usually we do verification, visitation, then check the standards. Including the kitchen, the bathing area, all that has standards. If unlicensed, of course we don’t know. That’s why we need to sweep,” he added. Previously, police raided the Little Aresha Daycare in Umbulharjo, Yogyakarta City, over allegations of child abuse on Friday (24/4). During the process, police officers directly witnessed the carers’ treatment of the children. “It’s true that on the 24th we conducted a raid where that is a childcare facility where our officers indeed saw directly that the children were treated inhumanely,” said the Head of Criminal Investigation at Yogyakarta Police Resort, Commissioner Riski Adrian, to reporters on Saturday (25/4/2026). “But indeed in conclusion, it was inhuman. Because some had their legs tied, hands tied and so on. Generally that’s what I can explain,” he continued. From preliminary examinations, Adrian added, a total of dozens of children were victims. However, investigators are still conducting further inquiries. The number of victims could still increase. “For those we saw with violent actions, around 53 people. By data,” Adrian revealed.