Alarming case of child abuse emerges at daycare center in Kota Kinabalu

KOTA KINABALU, MALAYSIA: Daycare is typically viewed as a haven for children to learn and engage in playful activities while being nurtured in a secure environment.

Unfortunately, recent events underline the fact that this haven might not always guarantee such a secure and pleasant atmosphere.

A distressing incident has come to light involving an act of violence against children at a daycare centre in Malaysia.

The occurrence transpired in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, revolving around a four-year-old youngster who fell victim to physical mistreatment by an adult.

Specifically, this case pertains to a daycare facility in Jalan Kampung Senorok Nasoob, Penampang.

Alarming footage from a CCTV camera, shared via Twitter under the handle @MySamudera on 10 August, has shed light on the incident.

Rakaman CCTV dedah anak didera pengasuh taska, dipukul ketika makan

Memetik Harian Metro, seorang pengasuh wanita bertindak menendang, menampar dan menarik rambut seorang kanak-kanak di sebuah Taman Asuhan Kanak-kanak (Taska) di Jalan Kampung Seronok Nosoob, Penampang.

*Kredit… pic.twitter.com/HpmmJz1u1d

— Samudera.my (@MySamudera) August 10, 2023

The video unequivocally captures the distressing moment when the child is subjected to abusive actions, reminiscent of how animals might be treated, as the child is about to eat.

In the video evidence, the child endures multiple instances of being slapped, kicked, and even struck with a ruler on the face and head.

According to a report by Harian Metro, the child’s father disclosed that his son had suffered abuse on two separate occasions at the daycare, with the mistreatment reportedly beginning in March.

The first episode unfolded merely two weeks prior when the child’s mother discovered bruises on his hand after he returned from the daycare.

Initially, the child attributed the injuries to a teacher, but later shifted the blame, suggesting a fight with a peer.

However, a week later, another bruise on the child’s chest prompted deeper investigation.

Regrettably, the daycare’s response was dismissive, asserting that such skirmishes were normal occurrences among children in their care.

In a disconcerting turn of events, on 8 August, the child’s parents noticed a wound on his head while picking him up from the daycare.

Seeking answers, they confronted the institution, only to be met with evasive responses regarding the nature and cause of the injury.

The parents’ insistence on reviewing the daycare centre’s CCTV footage led them to a distressing revelation that the child had been subjected to abuse.

Promptly responding to this unsettling discovery, the child’s father lodged a formal complaint at the Tanjung Aru Police Station.

Simultaneously, the child is presently undergoing medical treatment at Queen Elizabeth Hospital (HQE) to assess and document the extent of the injuries sustained.

However, it’s worth noting that, as of 10 August, Kota Kinabalu District Police Chief Assistant Commissioner Mohd Zaidi Abdullah revealed that beyond the parents’ report, the daycare’s principal and the implicated teacher had also submitted complaints, alleging violent actions by the victim’s father against the teacher.