Parents made up molestation and drug claims against US-listed RYB Education, Chinese police say
But company apologises for teacher disciplining children by pricking them with sewing needles
Beijing police say parents of two children at a kindergarten run by a US-listed company have admitted spreading unfounded rumours of children being drugged and sexually molested at the preschool.
Authorities launched an investigation into an RYB Education New World kindergarten in Chaoyang district last week after parents claimed some children at the kindergarten had needle marks on their skin, had been given pills by staff and had been sexually abused.
Police said in a statement late on Tuesday that one teacher had been detained for pricking children with a sewing needle as a disciplinary measure when they did not go to sleep on time.
RYB Education issued an apology on Wednesday, saying it would take legal responsibility for any harm done to the children by the teacher.
But police dismissed the molestation and drugging claims, saying a review of 113 hours of surveillance footage uncovered no evidence to support the accusations. However, the footage was also incomplete because the hard drive linked to the CCTV system was damaged.