Overview

• The gendarmerie has launched an investigation into alleged physical and verbal abuse at IME La Roussille, a care center for polyhandicapped minors in Vertaizon, Puy-de-Dôme.
• Witnesses described acts of mistreatment, including children being dragged by their feet, pinched, and subjected to demeaning language.
• Three employees were dismissed and three others suspended following an internal investigation by the facility's management.
• The disciplinary actions have triggered a strike by staff, organized by an inter-union coalition, citing grievances over collective punishment and working conditions.
• IME La Roussille, which accommodates around 50 minors and young adults, has faced prior scrutiny, including a 2018 conviction for staff violence.