Hundreds of Orthodox Jews protested across the country on Sunday night against an autopsy that was performed on a four-year-old boy who was strangled to death by a family member in Jerusalem, Hebrew media reported.
Protests were held in Jerusalem, Beit Shemesh Modi'in and Bnei Brak. Rioters at these protests clashed with police, blocked roads, threw stones and objects, and burned garbage cans. Police at the scenes have arrested five demonstrators.
The event itself
The four-year-old boy who was strangled in Jerusalem on Saturday was pronounced dead on Sunday morning, according to a statement by Shaare Zedek Medical Center.
According to the statement, the medical staff fought to save his life for many hours but was ultimately forced to pronounce him dead.
Concern first arose when people in the apartment noticed that the child was in his uncle’s room and not responding to them as they called for him.
The parents were called home from the synagogue, and when they got home, they broke open the door to the uncle’s room and found the boy unconscious with signs of strangulation.
Israel Police investigate
Israel Police was called to the scene and the preliminary investigation led them to the theory that the strangulation was a result of the suspect’s mental health.
The boy remained in critical condition throughout Saturday and passed away on Sunday morning.
The uncle, who is in his 30s, was arrested for further investigation. Following the announcement of the boy’s death, the uncle’s arrest was extended by 10 days, but his identity remained classified pending a psychiatric evaluation.
A number of haredi rabbis, including Rabbi Asher Deutsch and Rabbi Azriel Orbach, instructed their followers to protest on Sunday evening after a court decided to conduct an autopsy on the four-year-old's body.
Jerusalem Post Staff contributed to this report.