The Haifa District Court on Sunday sentenced Edward Kachura, a psychiatric nurse, to seven years in prison after convicting him of causing the death of 17-year-old Lital Yael Melnik, as well as statutory rape and violation of a court order barring contact with the minor.
The sentence follows a September verdict in which the court acquitted Kachura of murder, ruling that prosecutors had failed to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that he intentionally caused Melnik’s death, but found him criminally responsible for her fatal end.
Melnik, who was a minor at the time of her death in October 2021, met Kachura while hospitalized in a youth ward at the Ma’aleh HaCarmel Mental Health Center, where he was employed as a nurse.
The court found that Kachura was aware of her age and that the two formed a relationship during her hospitalization, which later developed into an illegal sexual relationship after her discharge.
On October 2, 2021, Kachura and Melnik arrived at a construction site in Kiryat Motzkin, where they dug a pit in the sand as part of what was described in court as a “rebirth ritual.” Melnik entered the pit and was partially covered with sand, with a pipe placed nearby to allow her to breathe.
Haifa-area nurse sentenced for causing death of teen patient
Her body was later found buried at the site after Kachura had left.
In its ruling, the court determined that Kachura’s claim that he left the site while Melnik was still alive could not be disproven. Judges rejected the prosecution’s assertion that her death necessarily resulted from a violent act that prevented her from escaping, finding that an accidental event occurring after Kachura left could not be ruled out.
Nevertheless, the panel ruled that Kachura bore responsibility for Melnik’s death, emphasizing that he had taken part in a dangerous act involving a vulnerable minor and left the site without ensuring her safety.
Alongside the negligent homicide conviction, the court found Kachura guilty of statutory rape by consent, ruling that he exploited Melnik’s emotional and physical dependence on him. He was also convicted of violating a judicial order that prohibited him from contacting her.
In sentencing Kachura, the court stressed the severity of his actions, noting that he failed to act as a responsible adult and caregiver despite his professional role. Judges highlighted his systematic disregard for legal boundaries and court orders, as well as the severe harm caused to Melnik’s family.
The ruling stated that Kachura’s acquittal on the murder charge did not diminish the seriousness of his conduct or relieve him of criminal responsibility for Melnik’s death.
The case has drawn sustained public attention since 2021 due to the circumstances of Melnik’s death and her status as a minor receiving psychiatric care. Following both the verdict and sentencing, women’s organizations and victims’ advocacy groups reiterated concerns about safeguards for vulnerable minors, while Melnik’s family has continued to voice opposition to the acquittal on the murder charge.
Attorney Efrat Nahmany-Bar, representing the Melnik family, told KAN that the family was deeply disappointed by the verdict – particularly the acquittal on the murder charge – and said that they see the outcome as not reflecting the seriousness of the events that led to Lital’s death.
She further reiterated that the family believes the evidence supports a finding that Melnik did not voluntarily place herself in the circumstances that led to her death and that her vulnerability was exploited by Kachura. She said the sentence for negligent homicide was “far too light” given what happened. The family may appeal against the aspects of the ruling they disagree with.