Chinese police detain woman suspected of abusing children

Children between two and six years were molested, jabbed with needles, coaxed into having sleeping pills and forced to stand naked in a dark room at Beijing kintergarden.

Authorities in China say they have detained a woman suspected of abusing children at a Beijing kindergarten run by a US-listed company in a case that has caused nationwide anger.

A child walks with a parent at the kindergarten run by pre-school operator RYB Education Inc being investigated by China's police, in Beijing, China on November 24. (REUTERS)

Police said on an official microblog account Saturday that an investigation into a kindergarten run by Beijing-based RYB Education has led to the criminal detention of a 22-year-old female teacher on suspicion of abusing children.

The statement did not provide further details.

The scandal in Beijing erupted after the influential newsmagazine Caixin and other Chinese media quoted some parents as saying their children were forced to strip as punishment and were found with unexplained apparent needle marks on their bodies.

The claims could not be independently verified. RYB went public on the New York Stock Exchange in September.