Lebanese authorities have shut down Veré Bleu Park, a newly opened adventure facility in the Metn region, following a disturbing incident in which more than a dozen schoolchildren were reportedly subjected to sexual abuse by a park employee during a school outing.

The closure was ordered by Mount Lebanon Appellate Prosecutor Judge Mohammad Barakat, who instructed security forces to seal the venue with red wax amid an ongoing investigation into the case that has sparked public outrage and intensified scrutiny over child safety in recreational facilities.

According to accounts from parents shared widely on social media, the abuse occurred on May 20 during a field trip organized by Collège des Saints-Coeurs in Ain Najm for first-grade students. Over 15 girls were allegedly assaulted by an employee, identified by his initials R.H., while being secured for a zipline activity, a moment when physical resistance was limited.

The school quickly responded with an official statement, confirming that "several children were subjected to disturbing and inappropriate conduct by a zipline instructor." The school administration said it had filed a legal complaint and was working with both the Ministry of Education and child protection NGO Himaya to support the affected students psychologically and educationally.

The Internal Security Forces (ISF) confirmed that two parents had filed formal complaints at the Brummana police station alleging that their daughters had been sexually harassed at the Mansourieh-based facility. Investigators reviewed surveillance footage, interviewed witnesses, and identified three individuals before arresting the main suspect, 16-year-old R.H., on the same day.

Though initially denying the allegations, the suspect confessed during questioning to harassing multiple girls while assisting them on the zipline.

Legal procedures were initiated, and the teenager was referred to juvenile authorities under the direction of the competent judiciary.

While Veré Bleu Park remains closed indefinitely, the case has prompted urgent calls for more robust child protection measures, stricter employee vetting at recreational facilities, and a broader national conversation about the safeguards needed to prevent such trauma in the future.