Police visited the four-story facility on To Ky Street on Wednesday to discuss the allegations with the owners and caretakers. The nursery currently houses 86 orphans.
Thanh Nien newspaper's reports revealed that a 47-year-old female caretaker allegedly abused the children, some of whom are as young as toddlers. The caretaker reportedly squeezed the children's heads and mouths, slapped them and punched them, with some suffering mouth injuries as a result of the assaults.
Locals noted that the facility was previously a hotel before being converted into a nursery more than a year ago. It has been advertised as a refuge for pregnant women, people in difficult circumstances and students with unwanted pregnancies, among others.
Authorities have confirmed that the abuse was perpetrated by employees at the facility and occurred repeatedly. Of the 86 children in the nursery's care, 15 are under a year old, 37 are between 1-3 years old, 31 attend other kindergartens, and three are currently in hospital.
The District 12 People’s Committee has proposed relocating all the children to social care centers and attempting to reunite them with their families.
The legal representative of Mai Am Hoa Hong, Giap Thi Song Huong, along with several employees, has been detained for questioning. The facility has been suspended, and its license revoked.
As of Thursday, police are searching for the caretaker directly responsible for the abuse.