Rett Syndrome Patient Fights in Court to Keep Caregiver of 18 Years
Liri Louise Karent, a 25-year-old Rett syndrome patient, was brought to a Jerusalem court by ambulance to appeal the deportation of her caregiver of 18 years, Kumari Budhatoki Adhikari, following a prolonged visa dispute.
A Lifeline in Jeopardy
Liri Louise Karent, a 25-year-old Israeli woman suffering from Rett syndrome, arrived at the Jerusalem District Court on Monday in a specialized ambulance equipped with life-support systems. Her family is waging a critical legal battle against the Population and Immigration Authority to prevent the deportation of her long-time caregiver, Kumari Budhatoki Adhikari, who has cared for Liri continuously since 2008.
Liri, who resides in Ramat HaSharon, is fully ventilator-dependent and receives nutrition through a feeding tube. Over the past 18 years, Kumari has provided intensive, round-the-clock care, establishing a profound, non-verbal bond with Liri, who was only seven years old when Kumari began caring for her.
The Bureaucratic Dispute
In 2020, the family submitted a humanitarian request to regularize Kumari's status in Israel. While the application was under review for four years, Kumari's nursing work visa was regularly renewed. However, in 2024, the family was verbally informed that her visa would not be renewed due to the ongoing humanitarian proceedings. The humanitarian request was subsequently rejected, and Kumari was ordered to leave Israel within 14 days.
Liri's mother, Orly Zigdon, expressed her distress over the decision:
"Kumari has been caring for Liri for 18 years, since early childhood, staying by her side 24/7. Liri grew up with her and communicates only through looks of adoration and love. Kumari has become an intensive care nurse for her, and beyond that, a second mother. No one else can step into these shoes."
Legal Arguments and Medical Warnings
The appeal, filed by attorney Tomer Warsha, argues that the humanitarian request was never properly evaluated by the Inter-Ministerial Committee, violating Supreme Court precedents. Furthermore, the family points out a critical contradiction: the tribunal itself previously noted that had the Population and Immigration Authority processed the request within a reasonable timeframe rather than delaying for years, Kumari's visa would not have expired.
Dr. Amir Harel Hari, Liri's treating physician, provided a critical medical opinion warning of severe consequences:
"Liri is connected to her caregiver by an extraordinary non-verbal bond. She must be allowed to remain in Israel and not be deported under any circumstances, as this would cause irreversible damage to Liri."
Following the court hearing, a temporary agreement was reached. Kumari's legal counsel will resubmit an application to extend her nursing visa, which the Population and Immigration Authority has agreed to review without prejudice to her ongoing humanitarian status application.
