Last update - 00:00 19/09/2007
Caregivers caught on camera abusing children in day-care facility
By Jonathan Lis, Haaretz Correspondent
A Jerusalem couple was arrested yesterday on suspicion of abusing the children enrolled in the day-care facility they ran.
An aide who began working at the day-care this year blew the whistle after allegedly seeing Leah Tobias and her husband, Sami, beating the children, yelling at them and forcing them to eat.
The aide went to the police, and also arranged for a researcher for the consumer affairs television program "Kolbotek" to work in her place for several days.
The photographic evidence obtained by the researcher, together with her testimony and that of the aide, led police to arrest the couple Tuesday.
The Tobiases have operated the day-care center in Jerusalem's Gilo neighborhood for the past 20 years.
A total of 12 children, aged between 2 and 3 years, are currently enrolled in the day-care facility.
Parents have told the police that they felt their children had become restless and acted aggressively after arriving home, but did not think to attribute it to the caregivers' behavior.
The Tobiases reportedly threatened to set their dog, kept in the yard of the center, on any disobedient children.
Leah Tobias confessed to some of the allegations against her, but claims she did not beat the children. Sami Tobias denied all allegations against the couple.