The door of the "Garderêve" day nursery sealed by order of the Ministry of Health, July 11, 2023. (Credit: Hussam Chbaro)
BEIRUT — On Tuesday, the Mount Lebanon Investigating Judge issued an arrest warrant for the owner and employee of Garderie Garderêve daycare center in Jdeideh, Metn.
The two women are accused of abusing children entrusted to the care of the nursery, a senior judicial source confirmed to L'Orient-Le Jour.
On July 10, the Internal Security Forces arrested the two women, D.H. (44) and T.M. (38), as part of an ongoing investigation.
General Prosecutor at the Mount Lebanon Court of Appeal Ghada Aoun previously prosecuted the daycare's employee for attempted murder, as well as the owner for complicity.
"I really hope that justice will take its course and that the owner will be charged. If not, I may have to take my revenge on my own. The owner of the daycare center was my neighbor and I trusted her. I can't believe she stabbed us in the back," Denise Rizk, whose son was cared for by Garderêve, told L'Orient-Le Jour.
The two and a half year old is "traumatized and unable to go to the bathroom normally," said Rizk. "He was beaten every time he tried to go to the bathroom, because the daycare preferred him to continue wearing diapers," she added. "He also had violent reactions and refused to eat, but we didn't understand what was happening to him."
Last week, graphic videos of infant abuse at the Garderie Garderêve daycare center shocked the public when the videos circulated on social media.
In the video, an employee of the daycare center was seen aggressively force-feeding young children and striking them if they cried or disobeyed. Other children can be heard crying in the background, and an adult can be heard laughing.
The daycare was permanently closed by order of the Ministry of Health.
