Israeli Caregiver Sentenced to 10 Years for Abusing Toddlers

A Central District Court in Lod has sentenced Rowan Abd al-Hai, a caregiver at the "Sigal's Garden" daycare in Hod Hasharon, to 10 years in prison. She was convicted of 277 violent offenses against eight toddlers aged eight months to a year and a half. The abuse occurred between May and July 2023.

Abd al-Hai was found guilty of multiple charges, including nine counts of child abuse of a helpless minor and 122 counts of aggravated assault. The court also ordered her to pay 450,000 shekels in compensation to the toddlers' parents. In one documented incident, she kicked a toddler lying on a mat and then struck him forcefully on the head and back when he lifted his head.

The case came to light in the summer of 2023, with an indictment filed in August of that year charging her with over 350 instances of assault and abuse. The indictment detailed allegations of hitting, shaking, pulling, pinching, and throwing children in her care, while ignoring their cries.

In April of this year, the court convicted Abd al-Hai of 277 violent offenses. The ruling described acts such as slapping, throwing, pressing toddlers onto mats, covering their heads with blankets, and forcefully inserting bottles into their mouths. The court determined these actions constituted violence and cruelty towards helpless infants who were entirely dependent on their caregiver.

While the court accepted the prosecution's argument that the actions amounted to abuse for seven of the toddlers, it rejected the request to convict her of psychological abuse for all children in the nursery based solely on their presence during other children's abuse, as this was not proven to the required standard.