Beer Sheva Man Indicted for Poisoning Baby Food with Sedatives

Prosecutors have filed an indictment against Yan Shamla, a 41-year-old resident of Beer Sheva, in the Jerusalem District Court. Shamla is accused of intentionally mixing prescription sedative drugs, including Clonex and Lorivan, into jars of baby fruit puree and placing them on supermarket shelves. The investigation revealed that between May and June 2026, Shamla adulterated jars of "Proruk" baby food with benzodiazepine medications, which are prohibited for use in children without a doctor's prescription. He allegedly placed these contaminated jars in "Zol u-Be-Gadol" chain supermarkets in Jerusalem. In one incident at a branch near Mahane Yehuda market, two jars were found to contain amounts equivalent to at least 17 pills each. A mother purchased one of these jars, and her daughters, aged eight months and three and a half years, were subsequently hospitalized with severe benzodiazepine poisoning after consuming the puree. In another incident, four contaminated jars were placed on a shelf near Jerusalem's central bus station. Three infants, aged around 11 months and two others around three years old, were hospitalized with similar symptoms after consuming puree from one of these jars. Following these events, all puree from the brand was removed from shelves, and additional contaminated jars were discovered. Two branches of the supermarket chain were temporarily closed by health authorities due to health risks. Shamla faces charges including five counts of using a dangerous poison and five counts of assaulting a minor or helpless person. He is also charged with attempted use of a dangerous poison, attempted assault, and theft. Prosecutor Moria Bein-Weissman stated that the victims were very young children, the youngest being eight months old, and that the severity of the acts is compounded by the victims' age and the nature of the product used. Shamla was arrested on August 31, over two months after the initial hospitalizations. His motive remains undetermined. The Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) assisted in the investigation, analyzing hundreds of hours of surveillance footage and employing advanced technological means to identify Shamla. He underwent a psychiatric evaluation and was deemed fit to stand trial. The investigation involved covert surveillance of Shamla before his arrest.