Remand extended for 3 Ashkelon daycare staff suspected of abusing toddlers

An Israeli court has extended the detention of three women suspected of abusing toddlers in their care at daycare facilities in the southern city of Ashkelon, and their names have been cleared for publication. Ynet reported that the suspects are Svetlana Bozhdomov, Tatiana Pletnikov and Anastasia Soporonova, and that they are suspected of harming young children at two privately run daycares. The Hebrew transliterations differ slightly between outlets: News.co.il and N12 rendered the names as Bozdomov, Plotnikov and Sofronova.

According to N12 and News.co.il, the detention was extended until Monday. N12 reported that the women are suspected of violence and abuse against children aged between eight months and three years. Ynet's headline carried the line that the babies came home with bruises, though the report does not make clear who said it.

What the judge said

Ynet quoted the judge in the case as saying that the documents before the court point to "systematic conduct and massive assault". The judge also said the investigation could produce further findings. No indictment has been reported. In Israel, police can ask a magistrate to keep suspects in custody while an investigation continues and before any charges are filed, and an extension of this kind is a procedural step rather than a finding of guilt.

Who the suspects are

The outlets describe the women's roles differently. Ynet and News.co.il used the Hebrew word for nursery or kindergarten teachers, while N12 described them as caregivers' assistants, a more junior role in an Israeli daycare. The reports do not say how long the women had worked at the facilities or how many children attended them.

News.co.il and N12 both described the three named women as three of the staff members arrested, which indicates that the arrests went beyond those named. N12 reported that another caregiver who had been detained was released at the police station. News.co.il also reported that a further caregiver had been released.

Conflicting accounts on the director

The director of the daycares was also arrested, and here the reports diverge. Ynet reported that the director, who is suspected of failing to report the abuse, was released under conditions. A Ynet news alert issued shortly afterwards likewise said the director had been released. N12 and News.co.il, however, reported that the director had not yet been brought before the court for a hearing on her case. The reports were published within minutes of one another, and it is possible the situation changed in that time, but the sources do not resolve the difference. None of the reports names the director or sets out the conditions of release.

Ashkelon and the name ban

Ashkelon is a coastal city in southern Israel. In Israeli criminal cases, the identity of suspects is often withheld while police make early arrests and question witnesses, and courts or investigators later permit publication. In this case, News.co.il and N12 both reported that the names of the three women were "permitted for publication", the standard Hebrew phrase used when such a restriction is lifted.

The reports do not say whether the two daycares are still operating, and the private status of the facilities, as described by Ynet, is the only detail given about how they were run.

What the reports do not say

None of the reports says how the suspected abuse came to light, whether through parents, video footage or another route, or how many children are believed to have been harmed. The suspects' response to the allegations, and whether they have legal representation, have not been reported. The source of the quoted remark about bruises is not identified. The status of the director remains unclear given the conflicting accounts, and no outlet has reported what the police will ask for when the suspects return to court on Monday.