Taipei Kindergarten Substitute Teacher Indicted for Dragging 2-Year-Old Child, Causing Injury

According to reports from Central News Agency, Zhang, a substitute teacher at a kindergarten on Tonghua Street in Taipei's Da'an District, was indicted by the Taipei District Prosecutors Office on charges including endangering child development and assault.

The incident occurred on August 22 of last year. Zhang allegedly became frustrated when the 2-year-old child failed to remain seated quietly before mealtime, either walking around the classroom or lingering in the restroom. Based on intent to abuse and harm, she struck the child's hand and forcibly grabbed the child's right elbow, lifting both feet off the ground. She then dragged the child back to his seat or pulled him from the restroom by the arm.

During one such instance, upon releasing the child, his eye area struck a classroom chair, resulting in head contusions, bruising, and swelling around the right eye. After the child began crying in pain, Zhang did not immediately comfort him, provide medical care, or notify the parents. Instead, she aggressively wiped the child's face with tissue paper, rubbing it harshly, which caused psychological trauma and made the child fearful of attending kindergarten.

The child's father noticed significant bruising and swelling around the child's right eye when picking him up that day, observed emotional instability, persistent fear, and crying, and promptly took him to the hospital. He later filed a complaint with the Taipei Prosecutors Office. The case has drawn public attention to the supervision and ethical standards within early childhood education institutions.