Childcare centre manager arrested over violence on autistic boy

 

A 51-year-old foreign national has been remanded in custody for alleged child abuse and an immigration offence. (Freepik pic)

PETALING JAYA: A childcare centre manager has been arrested for allegedly behaving violently against a 6-year-old autistic boy under her care.

Ampang Jaya police chief Mohamad Farouk Eshak said the boy’s father, a 36-year-old cargo manager, had noticed bruises on the left shoulder and both eyes when fetching him from the centre on Friday afternoon.

“One of the teachers informed the complainant that his son had banged his head on the table as he did not want to eat his food,” said Farouk.

“Feeling suspicious, the complainant checked CCTV footage from the scene, which showed the manager behaving violently towards the boy when he did not want to eat.”

Farouk said the centre cared for seven children, all with autism. Six of them were present during the incident, as were the three caregivers employed by the manager, he said.

Farouk said that the manager is a 51-year-old foreign national whose visit pass is believed to have expired more than a year ago.

In addition, initial investigations found that the centre’s licence had expired two months ago.

Farouk added that this was the first such incident to have to occured at the center, which has been in operation for seven years. The complainant had been sending his son to the centre for the past eight months.

The manager has been remanded until tomorrow. The case is being investigated under the Child Act for neglect, and under the Immigration Act for overstaying in the country. - FMT