Depok –
Therapist at one of the hospitals (RS) in Depok, Hendi, was named a suspect. Hendi’s act of clamping the head of a child with autism, RF (2), drew public criticism.
To investigators, Hendi admitted to pinching the therapist’s patient for reasons of handling procedures.
“Because in handling children with special needs, that’s already the procedure, by holding both thighs so they don’t rebel, that’s his confession,” he said Depok Metropolitan Police Chief Kombes Ahmad Fuady told reporters in Depok, Friday (17/2/2023).
Hendi’s action when clamping a child under three years (toddler) went viral on social media. In the video circulating, Hendi can be seen clamping the head of a child who has autism.
The boy’s head and hands were not visible because the therapist was allegedly pinned on him. The boy seemed to be thrashing and screaming.
But the therapist was seen still sitting stretched out as if nothing had happened. He was still casually playing with his cell phone that was placed on the floor.
Meanwhile, the autistic boy’s legs were already bouncing because he was struggling to get out of the crush of the big man.
This action is considered as a method in therapy so that children with autism stop rebelling. The police have confirmed this to experts.
“From the expert’s statement, what we have examined is that it is a method so that this child does not rebel or because he has high energy, resistance can be minimized,” he said.
However, Hendi’s actions were deemed inappropriate standard operating procedure (SOP) therapy. Because, the man fell asleep while pinching the autism boy.
“Yes, the method of therapy in a way blocking. But that’s outside the SOP that has been set, because according to the reporter, the therapist was asleep and using a cell phone,” he said.
Hendi’s negligent actions led to his being named a suspect. Currently, Hendi is not being detained and is subject to a mandatory report to the police station.
“Yes (there is an element of negligence as an element of a criminal offence), because he was negligent and the child was screaming and he was not taken care of. Because of this therapist’s negligence when he was doing the therapist’s activities he fell asleep and used the cellphone so that the child was struggling and was not taken care of by the this therapist,” he explained.
Check out the full news on the next page.
Watch the video: The case of an autistic boy clamped by a therapist in Depok, the police intervene
(jbr/mei)
