A seven-year-old boy was killed and his four-year-old cousin was moderately injured in a fatal stabbing attack at a home in Beit Shemesh on Monday, according to reports from Israeli media and emergency services. The seven-year-old victim was identified as Hillel Mordechai Dadon, according to Ynetnews and The Times of Israel.
Emergency Response and Hospitalization Details
According to Magen David Adom (MDA), emergency services received a report of the incident and paramedics responded to the scene, finding the children suffering from stab wounds in the family’s pool. MDA paramedic Yosef Haim Bernfeld described the scene, stating that responders were led to two injured children, including the seven-year-old who was unconscious, pulseless, and not breathing, alongside a four-year-old boy who remained conscious.
Both children were rushed to Hadassah-University Medical Center in Jerusalem’s Ein Kerem for further medical treatment. The seven-year-old boy was pronounced dead upon arrival at Hadassah’s trauma center. The four-year-old cousin arrived in moderate condition, fully conscious, and underwent surgery, according to hospital reports cited by Israeli media.
Police Investigation and Arrest
Israel Police announced that they opened an official investigation into the attack and arrested a suspect following the assault. According to The Times of Israel and Haaretz, police stated that the suspect is believed to have visited the victim’s house hours before the attack. Israeli media reports indicated the children were allegedly attacked by a mentally unstable individual who entered the home after the mother of one of the children left.
At the time of the incident, a 15-year-old relative was reportedly responsible for supervising the children. That teenager received assistance at the scene from a social worker, according to emergency responders.
Concurrent Tragic Incident in Beit Shemesh
In a separate incident in Beit Shemesh on Monday, a four-year-old boy was separately pronounced dead after being struck by a vehicle, according to Magen David Adom. Paramedics arriving at that second scene found the boy unconscious with multiple serious injuries. Resuscitation efforts failed, and he was pronounced dead at the scene.
