Netanya Daycare Worker Sentenced to Seven Years for Child Abuse

A Lod District Court has sentenced Shelly Sheinker, a former daycare assistant in Netanya, to seven years in prison for abusing 12 infants under her care. The court also ordered her to pay 300,000 shekels in compensation to the children's families. Sheinker was convicted on nine counts of abusing a helpless minor by a person in a position of responsibility, 33 counts of assault causing actual bodily harm, and two counts of aggravated cruelty.

The crimes occurred over approximately one month, from May 29 to June 27, 2024, during which she worked 15 shifts. The court's ruling detailed numerous acts of violence, including hitting the children on the head and face, pulling them by their arms and hair, and throwing them onto surfaces, mattresses, and into playpens, sometimes kicking them. In one instance, she hit an eight-month-old baby on the head, covered his face with a towel, and forcibly held him down while he resisted and cried because he refused to eat. In another, she pulled a sleeping infant from her crib, threw her on the floor, and kicked her in the face.

Prosecutors stated that surveillance cameras recorded approximately 60 acts of violence by Sheinker over 13 documented days, with some children being abused multiple times daily. The prosecution described the actions as cruel toward helpless infants unable to report the abuse and had sought a 10-year sentence. Parents testified about the severe psychological impact on their children, including night terrors, anger outbursts, self-harm, separation anxiety, aversion to touch, eating disorders, and a loss of trust in adults. Parents also expressed feelings of guilt, anxiety, and a loss of faith in educational institutions.

Sheinker's defense attorney, Shimshon Weiss, argued for leniency, citing her age (22 at the time), lack of prior record, and her stated passion for children, having studied pedagogy. The defense also suggested she lacked access to ADHD medication and was often left alone with 12 toddlers. Sheinker expressed regret and sympathy for the victims and their families.

Presiding Judge Efrat Pink noted in her ruling that "every injured child is a whole world" and that the consequences would be long-lasting. She emphasized that most crimes were committed "without any apparent reason," rejecting claims of professional burnout given Sheinker's age and short tenure. Central District Prosecution's Office prosecutor Ofir Fahima stated that Sheinker "systematically and cruelly committed acts of assault and abuse, humiliating, insulting, abusing her authority, and instilling fear in defenseless and helpless toddlers who cannot protect themselves or describe in words what was done to them."