Another horrific case of child abuse at preschool has emerged, this time from China.
Recent videos of toddlers being ill-treated at a daycare centre in Shanghai has sparked horror and demands for justice from concerned citizens and shocked Netizens around the world.
In one video, a woman is seen grabbing a backpack off a little girl's back, then shoving her towards a table where she hits her head. The woman is also seen removing some of the girl's clothes, according to a Radio Free Asia report.
More videos have since emerged. In one of these, a woman is seen force-feeding a toddler making her cry. In another, a child tells her parents that something 'spicy' was rubbed on her face, thought to have been wasabi.
The little ones in the videos were aged between 18 months and two years old.
According to the BBC, the videos were released to the public after angry parents approached police with complaints of injuries on their children.
Child abuse at preschool: Parents speak about their horror
It is reported that about 25 kids attended the centre which opened in February 2017. It was used by employees of the online travel company Ctrip.
According the Shanghai Daily, one mum said she felt something was not right after her 18-month-old daughter kept crying after coming home from the nursery.
"My daughter had peed six times in an hour and the teacher beat her with a quilt. She did not change her nappy in time and when she did change the nappy, she pulled up one of the baby's legs while having her stand in a corner of the room, rather than letting her lie down," she said.
Another parent said that it was after they complained to Ctrip that the company decided to view the nursery's CCTV footage, and were horrified by what they saw.
Following police investigations, three teachers and a cleaner have been arrested and the nursery has been shut down.
Apologies extended
The CEO of Ctrip Jane Sun told the media: "By inviting a third-party agency to run the nursery, our original intention was to have a professional and qualified team look after the kids of Ctrip.
"We are sad and angry to see a thing that we had never expected has happened. On behalf of the company, I extend my sincere apologies to the involved families and children."
Meanwhile, thousands of social media users have expressed their anger and concern about what happened on the microblogging site Sina Weibo.
Sadly, this is not an isolated case. Earlier, we brought to you a similar story of child abuse at preschool from Malaysia.
Here are some signs that you can look out for if you suspect child abuse at school (or home):
-
Your child cries and puts up a fight when it is time to go to daycare/kindergarten/around others caring for him.
Your child appears frightened around certain people that they were okay with before.
-
Your child shows sudden changes in behaviour at home (like shunning parents or becoming excessively clingy) or performance at school.
-
Your child comes home with unexplained bruises, abrasions, cuts, marks or other injuries. Repeated injuries could be a telltale sign that abuse is occurring.
- Your child starts getting frequent nightmares or has trouble sleeping.
What should you do if you suspect child abuse at preschool?
- If you are still uncertain, call the school to speak to the principal about it.
- If child abuse is confirmed, call the police (999) and relevant authorities like Singapore’s Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA).
- Immediately get your child away from the abuser.
- Get in touch with a child protection specialist centre.
WATCH (Warning: distressing video):
Sources: