Six Toddlers Escape Petah Tikva Daycare, Found Wandering Streets

Six toddlers, all around two years old, escaped from a daycare center in the Neve Gan neighborhood of Petah Tikva earlier this week. Three of the children wandered about a kilometer away from the facility before being found by a civilian who alerted the police. Police in Petah Tikva launched an investigation after receiving a report of several toddlers seen wandering alone in the street without adult supervision, riding toy cars near a kindergarten. Officers arrived at the scene, located the children, and ensured they were returned to their parents. Simultaneously, investigators began gathering evidence, collecting findings, and using technological means to understand the circumstances of the incident. As part of the investigation, two female staff members from the daycare, residents of Petah Tikva in their 40s and 50s, were detained for questioning on Monday and later released under restrictive conditions. One mother recounted that she brought her son to the daycare in the morning and, noticing a dirty floor, asked the staff to clean it. About fifteen minutes later, she received a call from the daycare manager informing her that her son had left the facility and they could not locate him. The mother told N12, "In one moment, I went from a mother who left her son in a place that is supposed to protect him and keep him safe, to a mother who has to search for her toddler son out of serious concern for his life and well-being." She stated that four toddlers left riding on ride-on toys, and two others left on foot. One toddler was found on steps near the daycare's emergency gate, and two others were found in a playground on the street. The search for three more toddlers continued for about 15 minutes until they were located near a busy road, where a civilian spotted them and called the police.