SHANGHAI - The procuratorate of Changning District of Shanghai on Monday started legal proceedings against eight day care center workers suspected of child abuse.

Video footage of workers in a Ctrip day care center appearing to abuse children went viral last year, leading to an intense public outcry.

On Nov 8, 2017, Ctrip reported the abuse to district police, and the suspects have been in police custody ever since. The arrest of the suspects was approved on Dec 13, 2017.

Leading travel agency Ctrip established the center, run by a third-party organization, in 2016 to help employees with childcare for children under three years old, the minimum age for kindergartens.

Ctrip has sought new management for the center and said it would allow employees to see surveillance video of classrooms on their mobile phones in the future.