Indonesian authorities have detained 13 individuals in connection with allegations of child abuse at a daycare center in Yogyakarta, Java island, following the emergence of disturbing footage that sparked nationwide condemnation. The arrests came after police raided the Little Aresha daycare last Friday, acting on a tip from a former employee.

The footage, which police have verified as genuine, shows toddlers, most under two years of age, lying on the floor wearing only diapers with their hands and feet bound by rags. Investigators also found 20 children confined in a room measuring just three by three meters (under 100 square feet).

City Police Chief Eva Guna Pandia confirmed that those taken into custody include 11 caregivers, the center’s headmaster, and the head of the overseeing foundation. All have been named as suspects and face charges primarily related to child neglect, with additional allegations expected as the inquiry continues.

According to Yogyakarta detective Riski Adrian, the suspects stated they used restraints on some children to prevent them from disturbing others, citing understaffing and an insufficient number of personnel to adequately care for the approximately 100 children enrolled. Authorities believe more than half of the children attending the center experienced some form of maltreatment.

Parents expressed shock and dismay upon learning of the abuse. One father, Noorman Windarto, said he was contacted by another parent last Friday and urged to immediately collect his two-year-old son. His child, who had been at the center since three months old, was reportedly among those restrained. Windarto described the emotional toll on his family, noting that the caregivers had appeared gentle and religious in demeanor. He also recounted prior concerns about his older daughter returning home with unexplained bruises and his son suffering from recurrent pneumonia, which he now suspects was linked to neglect, including being forced to sleep unclothed on cold floors.

Noorman paid around 1.1 million rupiah (approximately $64) monthly for each child’s care, about half the local minimum wage. The daycare has since been closed pending the investigation.

Under Indonesian child protection laws, the accused face penalties of up to five years in prison and fines up to 100 million rupiah. The police have indicated the investigation remains ongoing as they continue to gather evidence and assess the full extent of the abuse.