A court in HCM City on Wednesday sentenced three kindergarten teachers a total of six and a half years behind bars for child abuse.

Mam Xanh kindergarten. — Photo: giadinh.net.vn

The three were found guilty of abusing 21 under-five years old children who were enrolled in the Mầm Xanh kindergarten in Hiệp Thành Ward, District 12.

The 44-year-old owner, Phạm Thị Mỹ Linh who also looked after the kids herself, received three years in prison while two teachers Nguyễn Thị Đào, 24, and Phạm Như Huỳnh, 22, were handed two and 1.5 years suspended sentences, respectively.

They were also asked to compensate VNĐ66 million (US$2,930) to the abused victims.

Police arrested the trio late last year when clips filming them hitting and kicking the children or using knives to threaten them went viral on the internet.

Linh acknowledged the authenticity of the clips, admitting to have used various tools like dishwashing liquid bottle, pot lid or ladle to strike 14 kids for about 30 times.

Đào and Huỳnh also admitted their crimes and said they held the knives close to the children’s faces or hitting them with sandals.

Medical and psychological tests by the Ministry of Health revealed a number of victims suffered from behavioural and physical developmental delays. However, the doctors could not conclude whether the condition was caused by the physical abuse at the kindergarten.

The three teachers apologised to the children and their parents during the trial, saying that the class was too crowded and they lost their temper. — VNS