A scandal has erupted around a kindergarten in the southern Moravian town of Dubňany after several children were filmed attacking a four-year-old boy during outdoor playtime — jumping on him, hitting him and taking turns kicking him. The incident was caught on camera by chance by a woman living nearby who was drawn outside by the sound of children screaming. She later sent the footage to the injured boy's family.
According to the boy's father, the kindergarten teacher or teaching assistant did not step in to stop the beating right away. The man said he had never imagined children could be capable of such cruelty until he watched the video. "I always feared something like this might happen to my son. I feel sadness, despair, and, above all, fear — fear of what comes next. Accidents happen, but this wasn't an accident," he wrote on social media.
The father appealed to other parents to pay closer attention to their children's behavior. "Your child isn't always the naughtiest or wildest one, even if that's what you're told. There's always a reason behind it. Bad dreams aren't only about monsters, and reluctance to go to kindergarten or school isn't always just a whim," he noted.
He said his main reason for posting the video was to draw attention to the problem and to do everything possible to prevent something like this from happening again. The father stressed that he has no intention of stirring up hostility toward either the children involved or the kindergarten itself, and does not plan to publicly speculate on why staff failed to intervene sooner — leaving it to readers to form their own opinion.
In the comments under his post, as well as under a statement from the local municipality — which plans to discuss the situation at a meeting on Wednesday — some users came to the defense of the kindergarten's head, calling her a dedicated and devoted professional. The father responded that he, too, sympathizes with the kindergarten's management, but pointed out that his and his wife's child never received any help, and that the parents only learned what had happened by chance, through the video — the kindergarten itself never informed them. According to the father, the family saw the footage on Friday, which contradicts earlier claims suggesting the beating had only taken place this week.
Kindergarten director Jana Ilčíková confirmed that the incident is being investigated but declined to share further details, citing the young age of those involved and the fact that the inquiry is still ongoing.
The South Moravian police are also looking into the case. "We need to establish what happened and why the situation arose. Given the children's age, it's important to protect their privacy and safety," said police spokeswoman Petra Hrůzová.
Dubňany's mayor, Zbyněk Lysý, admitted he was shocked that such young children were capable of this kind of aggression. In a statement on Facebook, the town administration said municipal leadership had been briefed on the serious incident and had requested further details. "We understand that the published information and video may cause concern among parents and the public. We are not underestimating the situation — children's safety and getting to the full truth of what happened are our priorities," the statement read, with the municipality also asking the public to respect the privacy of the minors involved.
Source: novinky.cz