"Dispute Over Wages... Economic Resentment" Claimed
Authorities Cite Antisemitism as Motive
In France, a woman employed as a nanny by a Jewish family has been caught and will stand trial for allegedly secretly adding toxic detergent to the parents' food.
On December 8 (local time), the daily Le Parisien reported that a woman in her 40s from Algeria would face trial on December 9 at the Nanterre Criminal Court near Paris on charges of administering harmful substances based on antisemitism. She has been indicted for allegedly putting toxic detergent into the food and beverages of the Jewish couple who had hired her as a nanny.
The crime came to light after the woman of the house reported her suspicions to the police, having noticed something unusual in the food she ate at home. She said the wine tasted like detergent, the pasta-which she usually ate without issue-tasted like perfume, and her eyes stung when using makeup remover, prompting her to contact the authorities.
After securing the suspicious food, drinks, and cleaning products, police conducted a chemical analysis and found large amounts of harmful substances in the wine, whisky, and grape wine-enough to cause serious damage to the digestive tract. Police also obtained testimony from the family's five-year-old child, who said, "I saw the nanny pouring a soap-like liquid into a liquor bottle," which led to the nanny's arrest.
Initially, the woman denied the charges, but later admitted, "I did it to punish them because of a pay dispute." She stated, "I was angry because they disrespected me," and added, "I thought they might suffer, but I did not think it would be fatal."
It was also revealed that she had made statements such as, "I should not work for a Jewish woman," and "They have money and power, but they are stingy." As a result, antisemitism was added as an aggravating factor in the indictment. However, her lawyer argues that the crime stemmed from class issues and economic resentment, not from antisemitism.
The victims' attorneys stated, "This case particularly highlights the reality of everyday antisemitism," and added, "She transformed her hatred in the name of justice, infringing upon this family's health and privacy."
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