Man arrested for repeatedly raping stepdaughter with her mother’s approval

A man in his 40s from the central town of Ramle has been arrested for allegedly repeatedly raping his young stepdaughter with her mother’s approval, police say.

The mother, also in her 40s, has also been detained over the alleged sexual abuse, which occurred over a period of several years.

According to police, the couple tracked the 13-year-old’s menstrual cycle in order to get her pregnant.

Police say they launched an investigation after receiving a report from welfare authorities. The Walla news site says the case reached welfare officials through the school counselor after the girl told her school friends about being raped, and they persuaded her to tell the counselor.

Walla reports that the girl’s mental condition is “grave” and that she is now hospitalized at a mental health institution.