Mother of 7-Year-Old Hallel Murdered in Beit Shemesh Shares Heartbreaking Account

Tamar Dadon, mother of 7-year-old Hallel Dadon who was fatally stabbed at his grandmother's home in Beit Shemesh, recounted the painful moments following the tragedy. In an interview on Kan Reshet Bet, she described her son as a cheerful child who loved books and puzzles. Tamar shared that her older son, serving in the Paratroopers Brigade, had come to surprise her for her birthday but instead arrived at a funeral.

The attack occurred shortly after Tamar left the house to buy groceries and vote in the Likud primaries. She first heard about the stabbing through a phone call at the polling station and initially feared it was a terror attack, but later learned the suspect was a mentally unstable neighbor. Tamar said, "He extinguished our sweet child."

Her husband saw their son before they reached the hospital and prepared her for the worst. The doctor confirmed Hallel's death upon their arrival. Tamar recalled their last moments together that morning, unusually spending twenty minutes hugging in bed before he left.

Hallel's 4-year-old cousin was also seriously injured but regained consciousness at Hadassah Ein Kerem hospital and spoke with family. The suspect, a neighbor, allegedly broke into the grandmother's home and stabbed the children while they played inside an inflatable water slide. The suspect was arrested, and the investigation continues. Tamar's brother found the children at the scene and called emergency services. A Magen David Adom medic described the scene as horrific, with one child unconscious and without pulse, and the other conscious but severely injured.