Nanny accused of poisoning Jewish family’s food to face trial in France
The couple’s five-year-old daughter told investigators she saw the nanny pour soapy liquid into a bottle of alcohol
A 42-year-old nanny is set to appear Tuesday before the Nanterre Criminal Court after allegedly placing toxic cleaning products into the food and beverages of a Jewish couple living in the Paris suburbs.
According to prosecutors, the acts were motivated by antisemitic bias, an aggravating factor upheld by the investigating judge.
The nanny, identified as Leila Y., had been employed by the family for two months. A foreign national subject to an order to leave French territory (OQTF), she reportedly used a forged Belgian identity card to secure the job.
The suspicion began when the mother detected unusual odors and tastes in multiple items around the home: wine smelling of cleaning products, eye makeup remover causing irritation, altered grape juice, and spoiled pasta. When police investigated, they found toxic substances in several food and drink items, capable of causing serious digestive harm.
A turning point came from the testimony of the couple’s five-year-old daughter, who told investigators she saw the nanny pour soapy liquid into a bottle of alcohol. During a police search, Leila allegedly stated that she “should never have worked for a Jewish woman,” citing financial grievances and resentment. Although her defense contests the antisemitic motive, investigators uncovered internet searches related to Judaism and online posts connected to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Originally investigated for attempted poisoning, the defendant now faces charges of administering harmful substances after testing indicated the substances were not lethal. The family’s legal representatives argue that the revised charge minimizes the gravity of the act, especially against the backdrop of rising antisemitic incidents in France since the Hamas attack of October 7, 2023.
The mother says the family continues to live in fear, describing constant anxiety, surveillance cameras installed inside the home, and disrupted sleep. The three children—aged 2, 5, and 7 at the time—are also struggling emotionally. One child has withdrawn, another expresses guilt, and all reportedly understand that they were targeted because of their identity.
The family hopes the trial will lead to the defendant’s expulsion from France, saying they fear she could “return to cause harm.” For them, such an outcome would be one step toward restoring a sense of safety at home.