Israeli Mother and Daughter Missing for Months Found in Argentina

Mali Yahalomi and her daughter Lial have returned to Israel after a period of absence abroad, which her brother, Moshe Yahalomi, attributed to significant financial debt causing Mali distress. The family decided not to meet them at the airport upon their arrival yesterday to allow them peace and quiet to recover from the experience. Moshe Yahalomi stated that while they haven't met them yet, they are there for them whenever they are ready, explaining that his sister was in distress and perhaps didn't share the full extent of her problems.

He described the financial background as the reason for their disappearance, mentioning a debt that caused Mali deep distress, though he could not specify the exact amount, noting it was between 200,000 to 300,000 shekels. The family attempted to get information about the debt from Jerusalem Bank, where Mali worked, but were denied due to privacy regulations. Moshe emphasized that Mali was a dedicated employee who received many accolades for her work and that she did not leave a note indicating she intended to disappear, but rather did so out of distress.

Lial apparently chose to accompany her mother to support her during the difficult time, with an exchange showing her telling her mother, "I will go with you everywhere." The journey began on August 4th when they left for Prague, then traveled by train to Vienna. They last contacted family on August 7th from an apartment in Vienna, but then missed their return flight on August 11th, leading to a joint Israeli-Austrian police investigation, which was transferred to Lahav 433. During the investigation, it was discovered that Mali had withdrawn approximately 14,000 euros in cash before their trip and had prepared by deleting apps and using old photos to create the impression they were still in Vienna. Police ruled out suspicions of embezzlement from Mali's workplace.

The mother and daughter were eventually located on a bus in Buenos Aires, Argentina, by Israeli Police representative in South America, Deputy Superintendent Walter Kogan. After nearly three months abroad, they landed in Israel yesterday on a flight from Athens. The police have stated that the two are not expected to be interrogated and are not required by the investigation. The family expressed gratitude for public support during the search and announced they would return all collected donation funds.