Toddlers Escape Petah Tikva Daycare, Wander City Streets Unsupervised

Six toddlers, all around two years old, escaped from a daycare facility in Petah Tikva, riding on toy vehicles and wandering unsupervised on busy city streets. The alarming incident was halted by alert passersby who prevented a potential tragedy. Ofri Gilad, mother of two-year-old Uriah, described the intense anxiety and helplessness experienced by parents. She stated that the daycare staff was unaware the children had left the premises, and it was not they who informed the families. Gilad recounted receiving a call from a friend, not the daycare, saying, "Listen, calm down, everything is fine, but your son is missing." Some parents were not notified of their child's absence for an hour and a half. Gilad rushed to the area and found the children had traveled about a kilometer from the daycare, reaching a busy main road. Her son had crossed a crosswalk alone, stopped by pedestrians on a divided crosswalk on the main road. The mother who arrived late to drop off her child discovered the open gate and the children's escape. The police have opened an investigation into the serious security incident, which is being handled by the Ministry of Education and the police. Supervision and security officials visited the daycare for an initial inquiry, followed by an update meeting with parents. Steps are being taken against the facility to prevent similar incidents from recurring.