An infant daycare center in Kaohsiung has been ordered to cease operations for allegedly mistreating children under its care, the city’s Social Affairs Bureau said on Friday.
At least eight children, aged two months to two years old, were found to have been abused from Feb. 10 to 12 at Bei Yujia Infant Daycare Center in Nanzih District (楠梓), the bureau’s deputy director-general Yeh Yu-ju (葉玉如) said.
Based on evidence collected from the center’s surveillance cameras, the children were subjected to improper feeding and other mistreatment, she said.
Photo: CNA
The alleged incident involved three people, including a married couple, identified by their last names Chu (朱) and Yang (楊), and a former employee surnamed Tung (董) who recently resigned from Bei Yujia.
The daycare center is registered under Chu’s name, but is run by Yang, who has been banned from operating or working in a childcare organization for five years due to a prior child abuse record in her previous role as a nanny in 2020, Kaohsiung City Councilor Lee Ya-hui (李雅慧) said.
The daycare center was shut down, but then reopened last year under her husband’s name, Lee said, adding that the government should re-evaluate its review system for childcare organizations.
The bureau noticed that the business had re-registered to open at the same location, but approved the application, because it conformed to regulations as it was under Chu’s name, Yeh said.
Yang and Tung were fined NT$480,000 and NT$60,000 respectively for contravening the Protection of Children and Youths Welfare and Rights Act (兒童及少年福利與權益保障法), the bureau said.
In addition to the NT$480,000 fine, Yang was banned from operating or working in a childcare organization for 30 years, Yeh said, adding that the bureau is working to assist families transfer their children to other daycare centers.
Four parents have already filed lawsuits against the center, she said.
The Ciaotou District Prosecutors’ Office in Kaohsiung has been investigating the case since middle of last month after the incidents of alleged child abuse were reported by the city’s Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Prevention Center.
Raids were carried out on Bei Yujia with Chu, Yang and Tung being questioned by police in early this month, prosecutors said.
The couple were later released on bail of NT$40,000 each while Tung was also let go after posting bail of NT$10,000, they added, indicating that the investigation is still ongoing.
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