Colombia’s Family Welfare Institute (ICBF) shut down a childcare center in the capital Bogota after the alleged rape of at least 12 toddlers by one of the teachers.
The agency suspended all services at the Canada center in the San Cristobal district after criminal complaints of sexual abuse were filed with the Prosecutor General’s office and authorities inspected the facilities.
Forensic Medicine confirmed seven cases of rape and found that two of the affected children have been diagnosed with HIV.
More children have been taken to the Forensic Medicine Department, which could increase the number of confirmed victims.
A teacher at the institute, Freddy Castellanos, has been arrested after being accused of abusing at least 12 children between the ages of 2 and 3 years old.
Families of the victims accuse the kindergarten authorities of negligence, saying the administrators did not respond to the initial reports of abuse.
According to one parent who spoke with Caracol Radio, administrators told parents that the teacher would be dismissed “on Tuesday and [he] continued working on Wednesday and Thursday.”
Parents ultimately detained the suspect themselves and handed him over to police, who released the man on the same day.
The Bogota Mayor’s Office expressed solidarity with the victims.
El Distrito expresa su solidaridad con las víctimas y rechaza el caso ocurrido en el Hogar Infantil Canadá, administrado por el Instituto Colombiano de Bienestar Familiar (ICBF), en la localidad de San Cristóbal; donde se registró un presunto caso de abuso sexual a varios niños por parte de un funcionario de la institución.
Bogota’s Mayor’s Office
The school director, Astrid Caceres, confirmed the suspension and said that “the operator in charge of managing the center will be replaced.”
Concurrent to criminal investigations, the ICBF said that it will initiate disciplinary investigations to determine if public officials and contract supervisors acted in accordance with protocols in receiving the initial complaints from families.
The suspect will be charged with multiple accounts of rape and sexual abuse of a minor.
