Three Kindergarten Teachers Arrested in Ashkelon for Child Abuse

A Magistrates' Court in Ashkelon extended the arrest of three kindergarten teachers for five days on Thursday, as they are suspected of violence and abuse against toddlers aged eight months to three years. The teachers whose arrests were extended are Svetlana Bozhdomov, Tatyana Pletnikov, and Anastasia Supronova. The director of the daycare centers, who was also arrested, was released under restrictive conditions after the hearing. Another arrested teacher was released by the police. The investigation began a week prior following a parent's complaint. During the hearing, the judge questioned the police representative about the nature of the violence. The representative stated that evidence from security cameras suggests violence, with one suspect, Svetlana, identified in a video showing her grabbing, throwing, and hitting children. The judge noted that the footage was sufficient and asked if the suspect had an explanation. Regarding Tatyana, evidence also indicates violence, though she denies it, with the judge observing she is downplaying her actions rather than outright denying them. For Anastasia, evidence of violence also exists, and she has been questioned twice. The judge emphasized the high risk and strong basis for the arrests, stating that the investigation could yield further findings and that the toddlers returned from the daycare with bruises. Lawyers for the suspects requested their names and photos not be published and sought alternative detention. The judge, however, decided to allow the publication of the teachers' names, stating that the investigation revealed a pattern of systematic abuse across both daycare centers where the suspects worked, not isolated incidents. The director's suspicion is for failing to report the incidents, not for direct violence. The judge noted that her arrest might have been premature, pending further evidence from the cameras, and released her to house arrest with restrictive conditions, citing a lack of additional evidence for her involvement in violence.