Father Indicted for Severely Abusing Infant Daughter

The Southern District Prosecutor's Office has filed a severe indictment against a 26-year-old father from southern Israel, accused of repeatedly assaulting his infant daughter when she was only about a month old, causing her life-threatening injuries. According to the indictment, filed by prosecutor Hila Kleper Cohen, the helpless infant suffered multiple fractures to her ribs and legs, as well as internal bleeding. As a result, she was hospitalized for approximately five days, requiring sedation, ventilation, a chest drain, and fixation for a broken hip. The father is charged with multiple counts of assaulting a minor by a caregiver, causing severe injury. A request to extend his bail conditions until the end of proceedings indicates that the prosecution possesses prima facie evidence, including medical documents, doctor testimonies, and an initial forensic medicine opinion. This opinion determined the injuries were a result of abuse, not accidental, and ruled out genetic illness. During his interrogation, the father admitted to some events and the possibility of the injuries resulting from them, but claimed the acts were not performed with great force. He denied the mother's involvement and initially offered an alternative explanation for his daughter's leg fracture involving dogs, which was disproven by security footage, leading him to change his story. The investigation was conducted by the Ashdod police station. A gag order is in effect regarding the identities of the accused and the infant. This case follows recent revelations of severe child abuse, including an appeal filed by the prosecution against a one-year prison sentence for a Jerusalem father who habitually suffocated his infant son to induce sleep, and the exposure of child abuse in daycare centers in Ariel last month.