The Association of Rape Crisis Centers in Israel has formally requested that the State Attorney's Office challenge both the conviction and sentencing of Edward Kachura, a psychiatric nurse recently given a seven-year prison term for his involvement in the death of adolescent patient Lital Yael Melnik.
Court Finds Negligence but Clears Murder Charge
Kachura faced charges at the Haifa District Court, where he was found guilty of causing death through negligence and committing sexual offenses against Melnik, who was receiving treatment at a youth psychiatric unit in Haifa's Carmel Medical Center. The court dismissed the murder allegation, determining that while prosecutors couldn't establish intent to kill beyond reasonable doubt, Kachura held criminal accountability for the sequence of events that proved fatal.
Organization Highlights Systematic Exploitation
In correspondence directed to State Attorney Amit Aisman, the organization contends that the judicial outcome inadequately addresses the severity and persistent character of Kachura's behavior, which they characterize as an extended exploitation pattern stemming from significant power differentials between healthcare provider and patient.
The association maintains that Kachura took advantage of his professional role as a psychiatric nurse, fully cognizant of Melnik's compromised decision-making capacity and her inability to give proper consent. They assert that he twisted the notion of her "free will" to rationalize ongoing sexual violations and subsequently employed similar manipulation in the situation that resulted in her demise.
"Despite the extreme and severe circumstances of this case, the offenses of which Kachura was convicted – and certainly the sentence imposed – do not reflect the seriousness or the systematic nature of his actions," the organization's letter emphasized, noting that the current ruling cannot remain unchanged.
Hila Neubach, leading the legal division at the Association of Rape Crisis Centers in Israel, described the situation as a significant breakdown in protecting society's most defenseless members: "This is a case marked by severe circumstances and extreme power disparities."
She further stated, "It is unacceptable that someone entrusted with the care of a minor hospitalized in a psychiatric institution exploited her condition, committed sexual offenses over a prolonged period, and ultimately brought about her death – and was sentenced to only seven years in prison."
Neubach emphasized that the judicial system carries an obligation to shield those facing greatest vulnerability and urged prosecutors to deliver a definitive normative message by pursuing an appeal. "We cannot accept the verdict as it stands," she concluded.
