Exterminator sentenced to 3 years in prison for causing death of 2 girls

7 February 2017, 3:35 pm

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An exterminator is sentenced to three years in prison for causing the death of two young girls three years ago when he treated their family’s home in Jerusalem with a dangerous poisonous substance.

Yossi Barkan, from Nataf outside Jerusalem, admitted to causing the deaths of Yael and Avigail Gross, aged 1 and 4, by exposure to toxic chemicals, and causing serious injury to the four other members of the family under a plea bargain that will see him serve a relatively short sentence of three years in prison and pay the family NIS 200,000 ($51,700) in damages.

The exterminator who left the poison that led to the deaths of two children in Givat Mordechai is seen during a court hearing in Jerusalem on January 23, 2014. Photo by Hadas Parush/Flash90 — The exterminator who left the poison that led to the deaths of two children in Givat Mordechai is seen during a court hearing in Jerusalem on January 23, 2014. ( Hadas Parush/Flash90)

The Gross family agreed to the deal, having accepted the claim that Barkan suffered from “problematic health at the time of the incident,” according to the Justice Ministry.