After a year: The fate of the principal suspected of hitting an 8-year-old boy has been decided
After more than a year of investigation into suspected violence, the case against the principal of a special education school in the center of the country has been closed. Her attorney, Adv. Nava Toledano Yehuda, stated that the closure of the case and the removal of suspicion are of great importance.
The principal of the special school, a veteran and respected educator, could not have imagined that strict adherence to Ministry of Education procedures would entangle her and her staff in a serious criminal case. However, following claims raised by parents against the staff's conduct, the Israel Police stepped in. The case in question began around attempts to restrain an eight-year-old boy with special needs, who attends a school for children on the autism spectrum in the center of the country.
According to school staff testimonies, the child suffers from severe emotional regulation difficulties that manifested in frequent temper tantrums. During some of these outbursts, the child harmed students and staff, destroyed property, and sometimes even endangered himself. The educational staff were required in extreme cases to use proportionate physical intervention — one that is completely consistent with the Ministry of Education's policy — and only to prevent him from harming himself or his surroundings.
About a year ago, this complex daily struggle turned into a criminal investigation. The principal turned to Adv. Nava Toledano Yehuda, a former senior official in the State Attorney's Office, to represent her. During her interrogation, she categorically denied any involvement in an offense and insisted that she acted in accordance with the law and guidelines. Since that interrogation, she was not summoned again.
Adv. Toledano Yehuda clarified throughout the process that a full examination of the events proves that this was not punishment, but extreme situations that required the staff to stop the child's harm in real-time. Despite the criminal cloud hanging over her, the principal continued to manage the school, receiving overwhelming support from parents and the Ministry of Education supervisor.
On August 13, 2025, Adv. Toledano Yehuda appealed to the Kiryat Malachi police to close the case, arguing that the investigation had been exhausted without a shred of evidence being found. Recently, the Central District Attorney's Office notified the attorney that it had been decided to close the case.
"A criminal investigation is a difficult event for any person, and certainly for a veteran educator forced to continue managing an educational institution while a cloud of suspicion hangs over her head. When the investigation has been exhausted and no justification was found for continuing the procedure, closing the case and removing the suspicion from her name is of great importance," said Adv. Nava Toledano Yehuda.
