Court Orders Release of Mother Filmed With Child on Leash

A Haifa Magistrate's Court ordered the release of a mother whose 7-year-old daughter was filmed being walked on a leash in the city streets, an incident that caused public outcry. The woman seen in the video with the child was identified as the girl's aunt, and the mother stated that the two were "playing." The aunt was also briefly detained and subsequently released. Attorney Dana Segev, representing the mother, criticized the police's handling of the situation, explaining that the incident was part of the child's imaginative play. "If viewers had done a minimal check, they would have seen there was nothing criminal," Segev stated, adding that the child often plays "she is like a dog and they lead her on a leash" at home. Segev alleged police misconduct, including a traumatic nighttime arrest of the mother in front of her daughter without basic identification checks, and later the arrest of the relative. "The Israel Police has not yet provided an explanation for this serious malfunction, for the severe trauma it caused the mother," the attorney said. She further described four officers entering the home hours after the initial incident, arresting the mother as if she were a "top criminal" in front of her child, causing "crying and hysteria." The police responded that the arrest was based not only on the viral video but also on investigation findings and the suspect's own statements, which raised "real concern for the minor's welfare." The police maintained that the arrest decision was based solely on professional considerations and that the release from custody does not negate the initial suspicion.