A stunning case of alleged baby trafficking has emerged in Israel, where prosecutors have charged a 71-year-old woman with exploiting her position as legal guardian to orchestrate an international adoption scheme targeting a mentally vulnerable woman under her care.
BREAKING DOWN THE CASE:
The accused, a member of the Orthodox community who worked with mentally ill individuals, allegedly engineered the adoption while her ward was in a psychiatric facility during late pregnancy in 2015. Without informing authorities, she:
- Arranged a deal with prospective Israeli parents before the birth
- Flew the pregnant woman to New York immediately after her hospital release
- Hired U.S. lawyers and caretakers to facilitate the adoption
- Signed away the baby's custody when the mother's mental health declined
- Abandoned the new mother in the U.S. without resources or support
"We're seeing exploitation at an unprecedented level," says Dina Dominitz, Israel's anti-trafficking coordinator. "This wasn't just overstepping boundaries – it was a calculated scheme targeting someone who was completely dependent on her guardian's protection."
THE AFTERMATH:
The victim remained stranded in the U.S. for six months, unable to access proper medical care or return home, until a host family finally purchased her plane ticket back to Israel. Upon return, she immediately began fighting to reclaim her child, triggering an international investigation that eventually located the baby.
WHAT'S NEXT:
Prosecutors are treating this as a landmark case that could reshape guardian oversight and international adoption practices. The defendant faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted on human trafficking charges.
The court has imposed strict reporting restrictions, protecting the identities of all involved parties while the investigation continues with both U.S. and Israeli authorities.
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