Jerusalem man indicted for sexually abusing nephews

The children's mother, who is pregnant with her fourth child, heard her kids wailing when they were sexually abused at home, but did nothing to stop the attack.

By ETGAR LEFKOVITS
A 40-year-old Jerusalemite was indicted Thursday in a Jerusalem court for allegedly sexually molesting his two young nephews for more than six years with the knowledge of their parents. The two children, aged nine and four, were repeatedly molested and physically abused by their mother's brother in their Mea She'arim home from the age of two, the indictment related. The children's uncle, who has been diagnosed as "slightly mentally retarded," abused the children - the older of whom suffers from autism - both at their parents' home and at nearby locations in the city, including a dentist's office, according to the charge sheet. These incidents occurred "dozens" of times over the years, the police said. The children's mother, who is pregnant with her fourth child, heard her kids wailing when they were sexually abused at home, but did nothing to stop the attacks, Jerusalem police spokesman Shmuel Ben-Ruby said. Police said the children's father, who had also been aware of the abuse, had told interrogators that he had consulted a rabbi and been told to keep quiet. It was not immediately clear whether a rabbi had actually been consulted in the case. The charge sheet related that on separate occasions, both the mother and the father had even walked into the bedroom as the suspect was sexually abusing one of the children on the bed. When the parents entered the room, the suspect got dressed and temporarily stopped the abuse, the indictment said. The case came to light after a woman in the dentist's office saw the suspect molesting the four-year-old in the waiting room, and immediately reported him to police. The parents, who were also arrested, are expected to be indicted Sunday in the Jerusalem District Court and will be charged with failing to report the abuse and failing to prevent a crime, police said Thursday. The names of the suspects could not be published due to the involvement of minors in the case. In another twist to the case, the suspect's brother was arrested this week for allegedly sexually molesting other children in the neighborhood. He was released on bail Thursday by a Jerusalem court.