A woman in her 60s has been charged with assault after a disturbing video from Macassar showed a teenage boy with physical and intellectual disabilities being attacked inside a home.

In the footage, a man is seen smacking the boy while adults shout at him. The boy is visibly distressed as he is forced out of the property.

The woman heard in the video encouraging the man to throw the boy out has since been arrested.

Police Confirm Court Date and Ongoing Investigation

Police confirmed the woman was warned to appear in court on 27 January 2026.

The case is being investigated and has been handled through a specialist unit focused on family violence, child protection and related offences.

Police said the complaint was received on Thursday, 8 January 2026, linked to alleged physical abuse of a 16-year-old boy with special needs in Macassar.

Activists Raise Wider Concerns About Child Safety

Activists have questioned how the boy ended up in an unsafe environment and say earlier warnings about his wellbeing were not acted on fast enough.

Concerns raised include claims that the child was not consistently receiving prescribed medication and was often seen roaming the area without proper supervision.

Children Placed in Temporary Alternative Safe Care

Authorities confirmed that all three children from the household are now in temporary alternative safe care while the situation is assessed.

Officials also said systems are in place to monitor funded welfare organisations through reporting and audits and that intervention can follow where performance repeatedly falls short.