Haifa Mother Arrested for Child Abuse Released After Court Scolds Police
Translated & summarized from Mako by baba
A Haifa mother arrested on suspicion of child abuse was released by a court after it emerged she was not present during the incident captured on video. Her attorney explained the child was playing a fantasy game. The judge criticized police for the arrest and detention, ordering her release.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Haifa mother arrested for child abuse released after court ruling.
- Court criticized police for detention without sufficient investigation.
- Mother claimed child was playing a fantasy game, not being abused.
- Video showed child on a leash, leading to passerby's report.
- Mother's attorney called the arrest a "false arrest" fueled by a video leak.
A mother from Haifa, arrested on suspicion of child abuse, was released from custody on Tuesday after spending a night in detention. The arrest followed the circulation of a video showing a woman leading a child crawling on a leash in the French Carmel neighborhood. A passerby reported the incident, leading to the mother's arrest.
During a court hearing, the mother's attorney, Beni Harel, presented her explanation: the child was engaged in a "fantasy game" where she was role-playing as her dog. The mother claimed she was not the woman depicted in the video, but rather a relative, and that she was not present during the incident. The Haifa Municipality's social services department has begun to provide support in the case.
The police requested an extension of the mother's detention for five days, but the judge criticized the investigating unit for failing to conduct basic investigative actions before seeking the extension. The court accepted the mother's version of events and ordered her release, with the judge noting that the police had decided to keep her in custody overnight despite evidence suggesting she was not involved.
Harel stated that the incident involved a relative and the child playing fantasy games, with no intent of abuse. He described the arrest as a "false arrest" that gained momentum solely due to the video leaking to the media.
