Daycare assistant Yelena Stravinsky, who was convicted of assaulting toddlers in the "Masha and the Bear" daycare in Petah Tikva, was sentenced to 18 months in prison Monday afternoon.
A toddler in the same daycare, Yasmin Vineta, was strangled to death in 2018. Another assistant, Inna Skivanko, was convicted of manslaughter in that case and is now serving 17 years in prison, although Stravinsky was not prosecuted in that matter.
Judge Eliana Danieli wrote in her sentence: "The severity of the acts was manifested by the fact that they were done for no reason. She used routine violence against the minors for no reason. There was no tenderness or compassion in her actions. She lifted minors as if they were a doll.
"The videos show that she systematically used her strength opposite the helplessness of the minors. Although her actions did not leave physical marks on the minors, they did cause emotional scars."
The prosecution originally sought a more severe punishment, while the defense sought to settle for community service. At present, representatives of the State Attorney's Office have not yet announced whether they will appeal the decision.
The assistant was convicted about a year ago for assaulting children at the daycare as part of a plea deal, which did not include an agreement regarding the sentencing.
Vladimir Vineta, Yasmin’s father, spoke to Israel Today before the sentence was read: "I do not understand why the prosecution did not accuse her of my child's death. She was in the room when Jasmine suffocated to death and did nothing. Jasmine cried when she was crushed, and she did not prevent it. She should rot in jail. If she had done something, Jasmine would be alive today. She could have been 5 years old today."
Sentencing in the Vineta case was handed down in 2019.