Hong Kong child protection group facing abuse controversy suspends 4 more workers, totalling 7 employees implicated

Action was taken after the group reviewed surveillance footage, with at least 18 young victims affected

Group director expresses ‘heartbreak’, vows transparency and continued review of security video to weed out other potential culprits

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Interior of the headquarters of the Hong Kong Society for the Protection of Children in Mong Kok. Photo: Edmond So

Published: 10:51pm, 28 Dec 2021Updated: 12:30am, 29 Dec 2021

A long-established child protection group in Hong Kong under which at least 18 children were believed to have been abused has suspended four more staff members suspected to be involved in the case.

The Hong Kong Society for the Protection of Children, which revealed the new findings on Tuesday night following a review of surveillance footage, said it had filed fresh reports to the Social Welfare Department and police.

Police last Wednesday arrested three employees from the group, aged 23 to 44, over child neglect and abuse. Two of them were later charged.

Susan Choy So Suk-yin, director of the group, pledged transparency, adding that the society would continue to review CCTV footage from a total of 891 cameras installed at 29 centres and headquarters.

Susan So, director of the group. Photo: Edmond So

Choy said the group had immediately set up a task force and scrutinised security videos after news of the alleged abuse emerged.

“Sadly we have already identified early evidence of additional cases of unprofessional behaviour. This is obviously totally unacceptable,” she said.