ICBF opened a process to restore the rights of a child tied to a chair at a childcare center in Cali following the report on social media

NewsIn recent days, a video recorded in Cali went viral on social media. Photo: Social media30.09.2026 19:12 Updated: 30.09.2026 19:12 In recent days, a video recorded in Cali went viral on social media, showing a five-year-old boy tied to a chair with pieces of fabric. Given the gravity of the images, the Colombian Institute of Family Welfare (ICBF) issued an official statement this Wednesday, September 30, reporting that it had begun the process of verifying the rights of the minor following an alleged case of child abuse in the capital of Valle del Cauca. READ ALSO In this regard, the ICBF specified that, as soon as the complaint became known, it "immediately activated the care pathway" through its office at the Northeastern Zonal Center. The ICBF specified that, as soon as the complaint became known, it activated a care pathway. Photo: ICBF CaliAt that location, the case was assigned to a family defender, who was put in charge of inspecting the minor's conditions, determining whether there had been a violation of his rights, and adopting the necessary measures to safeguard his physical and emotional well-being. Additionally, the entity emphasized in its statement that it "refrains from providing information that could affect the life or privacy of the minor, or that could put the proper development of the process at risk." READ ALSO Furthermore, the institute commented on the legal relationship between the private organization named in the complaints and the public child protection network in the department. The five-year-old boy was recorded while tied with fabric to a chair. Photo: Private sourceOn this point, the institute specified that: "The ICBF clarifies that the institution mentioned in this case is not part of the operators contracted by the entity for the care of children and adolescents in that city, nor does it provide care directly." Video of a boy tied to a chair in CaliIn the footage circulated on social media, the minor can be seen stating that he was tied to a chair, outdoors, as punishment imposed by the caregivers at the place after he broke a plate and spilled his food. The images were recorded by psychologist Katerine Trujillo Herrera while she was carrying out her master's degree internship at a multisensory stimulation center for children and adolescents requiring intervention, located in the capital of Valle del Cauca. READ ALSO EL TIEMPO contacted the specialist, who detailed various irregularities that occurred frequently at the establishment. According to her testimony, on repeated occasions "they had the same boy, at the same time, for the same duration, and in the same way." She also pointed out that another minor was also subjected to inappropriate methods in an attempt to calm him with water, leaving him with wet clothes.🚨 Investigation underway into a childcare center in Cali for alleged ab/use of a 5-year-old ch!ld. A video shows the m!nor tied to a chair with pieces of fabric after, according to the account circulated, he threw his food. The ICBF activated the care pathway and the Child Police are proceeding… pic.twitter.com/y4rJ2FloYA— SUPERNOTICIAS (@radiosupercali) September 30, 2026 The professional explained that the preschool teacher, under states of stress, constantly resorted to physical restraints and corrections involving the use of force. In that sense, the psychologist decided to record the video in order to file a public complaint "given the slowness of the institutions." When questioning the staff about the reasons for tying up the minor, the response received was that the child would not remain seated for that long and that the measure was intended to make him "learn to value food." READ ALSO For her part, the owner of the place claimed to be unaware of what had happened and stated that she would remove the individuals involved from their positions. However, when the psychologist went to the establishment accompanied by the Child and Adolescent Police, the staff there claimed that the minor's parents were aware of and knew about this type of punishment. Laura María Villarraga ArizaBREAKING NEWS DESK Follow all the news from Colombia on Facebook and Twitter, or through our weekly newsletter. EL TIEMPO NEWSLETTERSSign up for our newsletters and receive news in your email based on your interests. Stay informed about what really matters to you. EL TIEMPO GOOGLE NEWSFollow us on GOOGLE NEWS. Always stay up to date with the latest news, coverage, stories, and analysis directly on Google News. EL TIEMPO WHATSAPPJoin the EL TIEMPO channel on WhatsApp to stay up to date with the most relevant news as it happens. EL TIEMPO APPStay informed with the EL TIEMPO app. Receive the latest news, coverage, stories, and analysis directly on your device. SUBSCRIBE TO THE DIGITAL EDITIONReliable information for you. Subscribe to EL TIEMPO and access our journalistic content without limits.