Tel Aviv daycare owner and assistants arrested for child abuse

The arrests follow an investigation initiated last weekend after a one-year-old toddler returned home from daycare with a broken arm. 

A DAYCARE CENTER in Jerusalem. [Illustrative photo] (photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM)
A DAYCARE CENTER in Jerusalem. [Illustrative photo]
(photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM)

A daycare center owner and two assistants from Tel Aviv were arrested on suspicion of child abuse, Israel Police announced on Sunday.

The suspects were scheduled to appear in the Tel Aviv Magistrate’s Court later on Sunday for a detention extension hearing.

The arrests follow an investigation initiated last weekend after a one-year-old toddler returned home from daycare with a broken arm.

The child’s parents, suspecting the injury resulted from misconduct by a daycare staff member, reported the incident to authorities and filed a formal complaint.

Additional cases of daycare abuse

In an unrelated incident last month, a passerby overheard crying from a family-run daycare center in Netanya and raised concerns on Facebook.

 Young Israeli students with their parents make their way to school and kindergarten in Jerusalem on September 30, 2021. (credit: OLIVIER FITOUSSI/FLASH90)
Young Israeli students with their parents make their way to school and kindergarten in Jerusalem on September 30, 2021. (credit: OLIVIER FITOUSSI/FLASH90)

The post alarmed parents and triggered an investigation into daycare teacher Helen Glazer, who has since been placed under house arrest.

Last week, parents were shown distressing security footage from the daycare center.

One mother, whose daughter is 21 months old, described the footage to Walla: “She held her mouth shut for 30 seconds until she stopped moving.”

Authorities have said they also plan to interview the daycare assistant who worked alongside Glazer.