Suspicion: Mother murdered her 2 children in Jerusalem
Two siblings aged five and seven found dead in Jerusalem apartment, their mother severely injured; children's aunt saw mother attacking children. Police suspect the mother murdered the children, attempted suicide
Large police forces and ambulances arrived at the scene, as well as forensic lab teams. The circumstances of the event remain unclear. MDA paramedics that reached the apartment found the children suffered from stab wounds all over their bodies.
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An initial investigation suggested that the woman's sister, who was staying at her apartment, woke up and saw the woman stabbing the children. She said she tried to stop her sister but couldn't, and called a neighbor, who called emergency services.
By the time police arrived at the scene, the children were dead. It was further revealed that the suspect is divorced and that the children's father is abroad.
Jerusalem Police Spokesman Shmulik Ben Rubi said that the family is not known to the police. The suspect was rushed to the Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital in Jerusalem with severe injuries in her torso, and was immediately transferred to surgery.
Moriah District Police Commander Haim Blumenfeld said at the scene that emergency services received a report regarding a woman who locked herself in her apartment. Police forces that were alerted to the scene climbed into the apartment through the neighbor's balcony and were met with the horrific sight of the two dead children.
Blumenfeld said, "We believe, from the initial investigation, that the mother murdered the children, and then tried to commit suicide. Her sister, who was asleep, tried to fight with the mother when she saw her attacking the children, then called a neighbor, who called emergency services."
Yossi Regev, the neighbor who called police, told Ynet that he tried to comfort the suspect's sister in the moments that passed until police arrived. He said the sister has lived in the apartment for about six months, and that she was not wounded, but had blood on her.
Director of the Jerusalem Department of Welfare, Bonnie Goldberg, told Ynet Monday, that a friend of the mother had called local social services on Sunday, telling them that the mother was "more upset than usual." A social worker had asked the friend for the mother's address, but the friend would not divulge the information, and an appointment was set for Monday morning, which was of course too late.
"Every day we tend to 120,000 people and every day we receive reports such as this. Every one is looked at," Goldberg said.
Friends and acquaintances of the family were shocked at the outcome, saying there were no signs that she would hurt them.
The mother had a page on the Index website, a Russian social network similar to Linkedin, where she wrote, "I love classical music. I play the flute professionally and have played with several classical orchestras in Moscow. I want to dedicate my life to music and charity." The mother also wrote she'd like to bring "music, joy and beauty" to the world.
The mother's facebook page, written mainly in Russian, sheds some light about her education and work while she lived in Moscow. Her last status was on September 3, and featured pictures of her children and wishes for the New Year.
She also repeatedly posted quotes from Ecclesiastes.
The family made aliyah this year. In Moscow, the mother studied in the Tchaikovsky Conservatory, and was later employed in the music and literature field. There is a photo on her page of a double homicide crime scene where lawyer Natan Gorno and his daughter, Yamit, were murdered.
She also shared her cultural preferences on the page: Mainly theater and music. The mother said she was a fan of Miles Davis, Billie Holiday, Beyonce, Michael Jackson and Bob Marley.
Police stated they were checking the mother's mental background.
Last July, Ali Amtirat was accused of murdering his two young daughters, Asinad and Rimas Dandis, aged two and four. According to his indictment Amtirat killed the children over custody battles with his wife, Abir Dandis, after she left with the girls.
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