Cuiabá daycare director resigns amid child mistreatment investigation

The director of the Menino Jesus philanthropic daycare in Cuiabá has resigned following the circulation of videos allegedly showing the mistreatment of children at the facility. The institution, which operates in partnership with the Cuiabá City Hall, serves 53 children aged between 1 and 4 years.

The recordings depict several incidents of alleged violence, including a staff member slapping a boy's face during a meal, a worker pulling a girl by her arm, and a child being left crying outside a closed classroom. Additional allegations suggest children are kept indoors for most of the day with limited access to recreational activities.

In response, the Municipal Secretariat of Education dispatched a technical team to inspect the site and has instructed the institution to temporarily remove the accused staff members from contact with students. The Civil Police have opened an investigation to verify the authenticity of the footage and identify those responsible, while the case is also being reviewed by the Public Ministry.