Chinese teacher used needles to ‘discipline’ children: Police

BEIJING: A Beijing kindergarten teacher used sewing needles to punish children for not sleeping, police said, but other abuse claims have been rejected by an investigation into a scandal that sparked national outrage.

Authorities opened the probe into RYB Education New World kindergarten last week after parents said toddlers were given mysterious pills and had apparent needle marks.

The 22-year-old female teacher from Hebei province surnamed Liu “was detained as soon as suspicions of abuse arose”, the public security bureau of Beijing’s Chaoyang district said late on Tuesday on its official social media account. The statement did not give further information on the use of needles, such as details of children’s injuries or their age.

Classroom surveillance footage was “damaged” because a staff member often turned off the building’s electricity after school, according to the statement.

“Following review of 113 hours of restored surveillance footage, we have not found evidence of other child abuse,” police said, adding that the investigation was ongoing.

China’s state-run Xinhua news agency had earlier reported that children at the kindergarten were also “reportedly sexually molested”.

An examination of a girl involved in the case on her parents’ request found “no abnormality”, police said, adding that claims children had been collectively molested were “rumours” started by two women.

One woman was detained and the other was given a warning, according to police, who did not specify the pair’s relation to the school.

Police had said on Saturday that a 31-year-old woman was detained for disseminating “fake news” on the Internet, and she expressed “repentance” for fabricating the story that military personnel were abusing children. It is unclear if police have fully investigated claims that children were given mysterious pills to take.