Rafael Adana case: prosecutors appeal driver’s sentence in Netanya

Israeli prosecutors have appealed the sentence handed to Carol Passler following the death of four-year-old Rafael Adana in Netanya. The move was reported by 90FM on October 11. The appeal seeks a harsher penalty; no new court ruling increasing the sentence has yet been reported.

Adana was struck by a car on Binyamin Boulevard in Netanya in May 2023. According to the report, the driver left the scene without providing assistance. The child was taken to hospital in critical condition and died days later. Passler was convicted of leaving the scene after the collision.

The 82-year-old was sentenced to 12 months in prison and ordered to pay NIS 10,000 in compensation to the family. Prosecutors argue that the sentence does not sufficiently reflect the seriousness of the offence and the fatal consequences.

The case prompted sustained public demonstrations and calls by the child’s family and supporters for accountability. The sentence appeal remains subject to judicial review.

Source: 90FM, 11.10.2026.

Illustrative image, not a photo from the hearing; Albert Stoynov / Unsplash.