Police probe alleged physical abuse of disabled children at day care center

The Korea Times

The Korea Times

National

Mon, September 25, 2023 | 03:03

Society

Police probe alleged physical abuse of disabled children at day care center

Posted : 2023-05-17 15:24

Updated : 2023-05-17 15:24

CCTV footage shows a teacher hitting a child on the face at a day care facility in Jinju, South Gyeongsang Province. Screen captured from Yonhap New Agency's YouTube account

By Kim Se-jeong

Police are investigating alleged child abuse cases at a day care center in Jinju, South Gyeongsang Province, involving children with disabilities.

According to Gyeongnam Police Agency and local news reports, arrest warrants have been requested for four teachers for abusing 15 children at the specialized facility for children with developmental disorders. A number of employees are still under investigation.

CCTV footage that went viral online showed the teachers hitting the heads, arms, faces and legs of the children repeatedly.

The police said that more than 500 acts of abuse had occurred in the span of two months at the facility and that one teacher is accused of 200 instances of abusing children during the period.

The police said the teachers had admitted to the abuse, but claimed that they could not help doing so because communication with the children was difficult.

The police opened the investigation after the mother of one of the victims, finding bruises on her child's nose, demanded the center disclose the CCTV footage and reported the physical abuse to the police.

"I was speechless (as I was watching the CCTV). I just had to cry. It looked like these abuses were part of the teacher's daily routine," one of the parents was quoted as saying by Yonhap News Agency.

Despite the abuse, the facility remains open. Not all of the parents support the closure of the center because of a lack of child care alternatives. Children with disabilities usually attend separate specialized day care centers in the area. More generalized centers often avoid accepting children with disabilities due to the unique challenges associated with meeting their needs.

"We are ready to order its closure but some parents opposed that idea. Today, we're going to make phone calls to the parents and then decide on what to do," a Jinju city official told the Korea Times.

CCTV footage shows a teacher pushing a child who is sitting on the edge of a table. Screen captured from Yonhap New Agency's YouTube account

skim@koreatimes.co.kr