10-year-old Jerusalem girl stabbed by stepfather in intensive care

The girl’s unidentified 39-year-old stepfather was arrested shortly after carrying out the attack and remains in custody after a Jerusalem Magistrate’s Court judge ordered his remand.

By DANIEL K. EISENBUD
Updated: AUGUST 30, 2016 02:43
A Magen David Adom ambulance stands by near the Western Wall (photo credit: MAGEN DAVID ADOM)
A Magen David Adom ambulance stands by near the Western Wall
(photo credit: MAGEN DAVID ADOM)
A 10-year-old Jerusalem girl stabbed multiple times in the chest with scissors by her stepfather Sunday night is in stable-but-serious condition on Monday, after being placed on a respirator and put into a medically-induced coma for emergency surgery.
According to Shaare Zedek spokeswoman Shoham Ruvio, the unidentified child was in borderline critical condition after the attack, which took place in her family’s Neveh Yaakov apartment following an apparent domestic dispute.
“She was immediately treated and operated on, and is now in the pediatric intensive care unit resting,” said Ruvio. “We hope that everything will go well now and that she fully recovers.”
The girl’s unidentified 39-year-old stepfather was arrested shortly after carrying out the attack and remains in custody after a Jerusalem Magistrate’s Court judge ordered his remand.
While few details have emerged about what precipitated the brutal attack, police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said the girl’s mother was taken for questioning and released a short time later.
“We questioned the mother and stepfather separately to see what took place,” said Rosenfeld.
“After taking testimony from her, she was released.”
Asked if the suspect has a known psychiatric condition, Rosenfeld said police are undertaking a comprehensive investigation into all aspects of his background.
“We don’t know of any prior incidents before the attack that took place, but police are continuing to investigate what happened, are carrying out psychological tests, and looking into a number of possibilities,” he said.