Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Dao Ngoc Dung sent an urgent letter to the Chairman of the HCM City People's Committee on Wednesday afternoon to ask for an investigation into a child abuse case at the Hoa Hong Child Protection Facility in District 12 and to intensify work on child protection activities in all similar facilities in the area.

The move came after the Thanh Nien online newspaper published articles, images and video clips revealing a 47-year-old caregiver at the private facility beating, dragging and physically abusing the infants, causing them injuries, including bleeding mouths.

According to investigations by the newspaper, the children were repeatedly abused and mistreated by several female caregivers at the facility in the evening, and the situation had been going on for a long time.

After the articles, photos, and clips were shared on Wednesday morning, local police and officials arrived at the facility for an inspection.

According to District 12's Department of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, the Hoa Hong facility was licensed in July 2023 to care for 39 children.

However, police found that the facility housed 86 children, including 15 under the age of one, 36 aged between one and three, 30 aged between three and six, three aged between six and 12, and one currently in hospital. At the time of the police's inspection, 15 staff members were working at the facility.

The district's police summoned the facility's owner and the individuals responsible for the abuse for questioning.

Speaking about the case, the vice president of the city's Child Rights Protection Association, Pham Dinh Nghinh, said that the situation at the private centre, which housed a large number of children, including many infants, was considered extremely serious due to the nature and extent of the abuse.

That had significant implications for the children's mental health, safety, and well-being and exposed them to various potential risks.

By the 2016 Child Law, the city's Child Rights Protection Association urged the committee, the department and the police to take prompt action to ensure the safety of the children under their care at the private facility.

According to some residents, the facility had operated as an orphanage for a long time. The owner, Giap Thi Song Huong, 52, was featured in some TV programmes and various Facebook and YouTube videos promoting its charitable work and soliciting donations.

The District 12 People's Committee has transferred all 86 children from Hoa Hong to public social welfare facilities while police investigate the case further.