Criminal proceedings against a father from Kiryat Gat accused of murdering his 14-year-old son in March have been suspended, following the decision by Israel's deputy attorney-general to delay them, N12 reported.
The decision was made due to the special and exceptional circumstances surrounding the case, and the father is now set to be sent home, but the Attorney-General's Office can resume proceedings within the next five years, the report added.
The murder took place in early March, when the father had fled to the woods near Kiryat Gat after allegedly stabbing his son to death, though he was soon arrested.
However, the circumstances behind the seemingly sudden incident have been especially perplexing.
The father’s other children were in the house at the time and there had been no previous complaints against him.
Authorities at the time collected blood samples from the father to determine if he was under the influence of alcohol or narcotics at the time of the attack.
Dr. Tzvi Fishel, of the Israeli Medical Association, emphasized that suspicion of a psychotic attack should not be automatic.
“Most of those who murder their loved ones do so out of anger, jealousy, vulnerability and more: that’s not a psychiatric illness,” he said at the time. “It’s best to let the police investigate the suspect.”
A neighbor of the family told KAN news back in March: “I knew the father – he is a very gentle man, praying in synagogue with people in the neighborhood... There was never any incident with him. They say he had a nervous breakdown and suddenly went crazy.”
Other neighbors also expressed their shock at the tragedy.