Man Charged with Murder of Child in Beit Shemesh

A 26-year-old man, Liel Ifargen, has been indicted for the murder of 7-year-old Hillel Mordechai Dadon and the attempted murder of his 4-year-old cousin. The attack occurred in August in Beit Shemesh while the children's parents were away. According to the prosecution's account, Ifargen entered the courtyard of a neighboring building armed with a knife, stabbing Hillel in the chest and his cousin in the neck before fleeing the scene. Prosecutors allege that Ifargen washed the blood off the knife before his escape.

The prosecution is seeking to keep the defendant in custody until the trial concludes. Court documents also indicate Ifargen's prior hospitalization at the Eitanim psychiatric hospital. It was previously reported that Ifargen may have been under the influence of narcotics during the attack, though the specific substance was not identified. The police had stated earlier that the suspect was not previously known to them. The motive for the attack remains officially undetermined.