Haredim riot against baby's post-mortem testing

Hundreds of haredi demonstrators rioted Sunday night at the Ashdod Cemetery, breaking windows and throwing rocks, in an attempt to protest epidemiological testing on the body of a baby girl who died Sunday morning. Following the baby's death, which doctors said could have been prevented with antibiotic treatment, a judge ordered doctors to check the baby's spinal fluid. During the disorder, one crime scene investigator was hit in the head by a rock and lost consciousness. He was taken to Ashkelon's Barzilai Hospital, where he regained consciousness. Another three police officers were also lightly injured after the crowd hurled rocks and glass shards at them in an attempt to prevent them from taking the baby's body. In spite of the discord, hundreds of haredi demonstrators were still waiting in the cemetery quietly and without causing disorder. In the court the discussion over the transfer of the body to the Institute of Forensic Medicine at Abu Kabir was concluded late Sunday night with a decision to delay the testing until 12 p.m. Monday.