Reports have been circulating on social media about an incident at State Preschool No. 566 in the Yangihayot district of Tashkent, where a caregiver allegedly locked three children in a restroom. According to accounts from staff, the three children were confined inside, and one of them had their hands tied.
The situation is currently being reviewed by law enforcement authorities and the Tashkent City Department of Preschool and School Education.
The mother of one of the affected children shared a video about the incident on Instagram, stating that her child came out frightened and in tears. Additionally, in a Telegram group, other parents reported similar incidents based on what their own children had told them.
In the video, a child named Samira said:
“She locked the three of us—me, Laylo, and Temur—in the restroom. She also tied Temur’s hands. We screamed and cried, but she didn’t open the door. She said, ‘I’ll take you to the mice.’”
One parent also said that her son had described a similar situation:
“My son told me about this as well. He said a new nanny had come and was locking children in the basement—and that she might take me there and lock me up too.”
According to the mother of a boy named Temur, the children may have been punished for not obeying the caregiver:
“She locked us in. I cried,” he said. When I asked why she would lock them in and what right she had to do so, he replied, “Because we didn’t listen.”
Several voice messages shared in a parents’ group also indicate that other children reported similar incidents. Another child mentioned that the punishment occurred because the children had entered the restroom without permission.
Samira’s mother emphasized that her child continues to cry out of fear even after the incident:
“Even at 12:25 a.m. on April 13, my child woke up crying in fear. Who is going to take responsibility for the child’s psychological well-being now?”
The Tashkent City Department of Preschool and School Education issued an official statement, noting that the situation is currently under review by law enforcement authorities and a specially formed working group. Additional information is expected.
