The Media Line: 2 Suspected of Negligent Homicide in Jerusalem over Death of 2 Infants as Ultra-Orthodox Crowds Protest Autopsies  

2 Suspected of Negligent Homicide in Jerusalem over Death of 2 Infants as Ultra-Orthodox Crowds Protest Autopsies  

By The Media Line Staff  

Two caregivers suspected in the deaths of two infants at an unlicensed daycare in Jerusalem are scheduled to appear at the Jerusalem Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday, as police seek to keep them in custody amid an expanding criminal investigation.  

Police said the detention of the two suspects has been extended ahead of the hearing, which will address whether they remain held on suspicion of reckless homicide and criminal negligence. Three caregivers were initially detained following the discovery of the infants’ bodies and as dozens of children in their care were taken to hospitals for treatment, but authorities indicated that one suspect has since been released, leaving two remaining in custody.  

Investigators believe the deaths may be linked to environmental conditions inside the facility. According to police assessments cited in reports, heat exhaustion and dehydration are suspected causes, possibly connected to a malfunctioning heating system at the daycare.   

The infants were identified as four-month-old Leah Goloventzitz and six-month-old Aharon Katz. Their bodies were found on Sunday inside an overcrowded Haredi daycare operating illegally out of several adjoining apartments on HaMem Gimel Street in Jerusalem’s Romema neighborhood.  

Authorities say autopsies are necessary to establish the precise cause of death and determine whether criminal responsibility can be proven.  

The demand for autopsies has triggered protests in ultra-Orthodox neighborhoods in Jerusalem and nearby Beit Shemesh.   

The decision to proceed with postmortems has drawn strong opposition from the infants’ families and from the ultra-Orthodox Zaka emergency service, which argues that any invasive examination violates Jewish religious law. Orthodox Jewish tradition views interference with a body after death as a desecration.  

The issue was brought before the Jerusalem Magistrate’s Court, where a judge ruled in favor of law enforcement and the State Prosecutor’s Office. Despite the ruling, the families and Zaka announced plans to appeal, prompting further demonstrations.