Disabled child, taunted at the Harap Alb Center: the carers washed him with the hose in the yard, because he escaped on it

33 years of democracy have not completely changed social services in Romania. An example of incredible aggression against a minor confirms this. An employee of the General Directorate of Social Assistance and Child Protection in Bucharest revealed to Euronews Romania an abuse of a child with special needs from the Harap Alb Center in Bucharest.

A 16-year-old boy who suffers from autism was allegedly washed with the hose by the caretakers at the day care center. The aggression took place in the courtyard of the center in the summer of this year. The reason: he couldn't get to the toilet anymore and peed on himself. The Harap Alb Center in Sector 4 of the Capital is intended for children with disabilities. An employee of the Social Assistance Directorate revealed to us, under the protection of anonymity, the terrible event.

Anonymous source: "He was taken out into the courtyard of the center with other children and was hosed down by staff, and later the child was apparently placed on a hot surface because he had suffered burns on his soles, burns which were investigated by Institute of Forensic Medicine and we could see some burns of high intensity because the child, I understand, was not able to walk".

The boy ended up in a wheelchair due to burns on his soles

At the time the boy was examined, he was in a wheelchair due to burns on his legs. The doctors recommended 30 days of medical care. After the abuse occurred, the Department of Child Protection was notified. The City Hall of Sector 4 says that an internal investigation was launched, during which the two caregivers were no longer at the center.

The accused employees were moved to another center in Sector 4 where they do not interact with children. We wanted to talk to the people at the Harap Alb center but the door was closed in our face.

The security guard told us that the principal was not at work and to look for him after the holidays.

Reporter: "And no representatives come? Carers? Caretaker?”

Guard: "Yeah, yeah, she's not giving you an interview. At the Press Center at the City Hall. You go there and only they can interview you."

Reporter: "Could you talk to the caretakers who are here?"

Guard: "Don't give your caretakers ma'am."

Reporter: "Yes, let them say whether they give us or not."

The two caretakers, disciplinary investigation

After the completion of the internal control, the two employees were disciplinary investigated and were sanctioned administratively. On July 27, the child's mother reported the incident to the Capital Police. Police officers from the 26th Precinct say the boy's feet were injured and bandaged. Indication that not only the aggression with the hose would have injured the child.

"Ever since that moment, checks were started, and currently investigations are being carried out in terms of committing the crime of ill-treatment of minors, under the supervision of the Prosecutor's Office attached to Court 4", according to a statement from the MAI.

The Minister of the Family, Gabriela Firea, condemns the incident at the Harap Alb Center and says that the Ministry will ask the county councils and the town halls to make periodic checks at the directorates for child protection on how social services work.

The case of the abused boy is not unique

The City Hall of Sector 4 stated that at the DGASPC level there is no tolerance for such incidents and that the little ones are treated with empathy. The employee who made the revelations says that this is not an isolated case.

Reporter: "What does the system look like today?"

Anonymous source: “The system looks like it did almost 30 years ago. And please, I know what goes on in a big city. I don't want to think about what happens in villages or isolated places. At the big city level, I can tell you that we still have physical abuse, emotional abuse of children by the staff. Including sexual abuse."

The abused child was medically recovered and is still in the center where he was abused. The police investigation remains ongoing.

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