MANILA, Philippines – Israeli police reportedly arrested a Filipina caregiver for leaving an elderly wheelchair-bound woman tied to a fence outside a mall in Ramat Gan while she went shopping.
A photograph of the elderly woman made rounds on social media on Tuesday, August 2, sparking outrage and allegations of neglect and abuse.
According to a report by the Times of Israel, a concerned passerby named Dikla Amram Cohen saw the elderly tied outside a mall for at least 40 minutes, enduring the 32 degrees Celsius heat.
She then looked for her carer inside the mall and found her Filipina caregiver who, she said, apologized and left in a hurry.
According to a report by Yedioth Ahronoth, the incident also caught the attention of Israel’s Interior Minister Aryeh Deri who called the caregiver’s actions "inhumane and shameful" and vowed to revoke her work permit and have her deported.
The report quoted a lawyer representing the unnamed caregiver saying she "denies all accusations and is cooperating with investigators.” The lawyer also said that the Filipina never tied the elderly woman to the fence and that she was staying close to her all the time.
Rappler is awaiting the Philippine Embassy's comments on the matter. – Rappler.com