Israel police arrest Jerusalem daycare owner, caregiver in charge where two babies died

Israel police arrest Jerusalem daycare owner, caregiver in charge where two babies died

TOBIAS HOLCMAN

Mon, January 19, 2026 at 11:39 PM UTC

2 min read

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First responders at the scene were dozens of toddlers were suspected to have been badly poisoned at a daycare in Jerusalem. January 19, 2026. (photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM)

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The court ordered the autopsy, demanded by the Attorney-General's office and the police, while the family of the victims will be able to appeal the decision on Tuesday.

Israel Police decided to arrest on Monday the owner and caregiver of the unauthorized daycare in Jerusalem’s Romema neighborhood, where two babies were killed, and 55 others were hospitalized, after interrogating both of them for several hours.

This comes after a court approved on Monday the autopsy of the two victims, even after the parents of the victims and ultra-Orthodox Jews nationwide protested against the procedure.

The court ordered the autopsy, demanded by the Attorney-General's office and the police, while the family of the victims will be able to appeal the decision on Tuesday.

The Monday incident at the daycare killed two babies, with authorities suspecting that the cause of death was heatstroke, and left another 55 children aged from four months to three years in mild condition.

Jerusalem, Beit Shemesh protests against autopsy declared unlawful

Israel Police declared the Monday night protests against the autopsy of the victims in Beit Shemesh and Jerusalem as unlawful and began to disperse the protestors.

Israel Police clears protestors in Beit Shemesh and Jerusalem. (Credit: Israel Police/Telegram/According to article 27A of the copyright law)

"Rioters are throwing objects, stones, setting fire to trash cans, and causing damage to vehicles, while blocking traffic routes with their bodies and disrupting the daily lives of citizens," the police said in a statement.

During one of the protests in Jerusalem, a truck driver was stopped and attacked by the protestors while the police called the situation "dangerous" and warned that it could "end in a major disaster."

Another roadblock was reported in the Highway 4 exit of Bnei Brak, according to Israeli media, with haredi protesters blocking the road and interrupting traffic.

Two babies dead after daycare disaster in Jerusalem

Health officials believe that the babies who were killed and injured at a daycare in Jerusalem’s Romema neighborhood most likely suffered from respiratory distress.

Blood tests and medical examinations of the affected children showed no evidence of carbon monoxide poisoning or infections. The suspicion is now that respiratory distress due to an environmental hazard at the site was the cause of the tragedy.

Dr. Itay Gal contributed to this report.

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