On October 14, 2023, a 6-yeard-old Palestinian American boy was fatally stabbed 26 times inside his home in Plainfield, Township, Illinois. The child who was cruelly murder was Wadea AI-Fayoume. He was stabbed to death by the families landlord as the Will County Sheriff’s Office said. The Illinois man was the familiThe families landlord was the Illinois man Joseph M. Czuba, 71, despite killing the child he also attacked the mother. Hanaan Shahin, 32, stabbing her more than a dozen time. Shahin managed to survived the attack but will never be able to fully recover from the loss of her child.
Deputies mentioned that after being dispatched to the given location they found both victims on the bedroom floor of the residency. Both the mother and the child had profound multiple stabbed wounds on the chest, torso and upper extremities. Wounds that were inflicted with a “military-style knife.” Shahin was taken and treated at the hospital were she was able to recover and has since then been released. The same outcome can not be said for AI-Fayoumr, he was also taken to the hospital in a critical condition. But unfortunatly was later pronounced death due to his injuries.
A Targeted Attack
The attack on the family was described by authorities as a “targeted attack” and a “hate crime.” This is due to a number of different pieces of evidence. Some of this evidence includes Shahin’s statement, saying that on Saturday morning, moments before the attack began, “Czuba told her he was angry with her because of what was happening in Jerusalem.” Furthermore, the confrontation between Czuba and Shahin is not the only evidence to support the claims that “the attack was targeted.” Authorities added that Czuba’s wife told investigators that Czuba had become obsessed with the war between Hamas and Israel.
Ahmed Rehab, executive director for the Council on American-Islamic Relations’ Chicago Office, said both boys’ parents were from a West Bank Village. Wadea’s mother, Shahin, moved to the United States 12 years ago, his father moved to the United States nine years ago, and Wedea was born here in Illinois. For this reason, the investigators are certain the victims “were targeted by the suspect due to them being Muslim and the ongoing Middle Eastern conflict.”
The Trial and the Latest Updates
Since the incident, authorities have mentioned that Czuba has been charged with first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, two hate crimes and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Despite the charges, Czuba pleaded not guilty Monday, following an indictment by an Illinois grand jury. Furthermore, Czuba did not speak during the trial; He spoke at the end of the hearing, when the judge asked Czuba if he understood he could appeal his detention. He replied: “yeas, sir.” Czuba will next appear in court in January 8 before judge Amy Bertani-Tomczak.
Additionally, Shahin finally spoke out on the matter and released a public statement. She mentions, not holding any feeling of hatred towards Czuba and believes in the pursuit of justice. She is only asking the public as a mother, a person and as a victim to “pray for peace.” And always remember her son in the most beautiful way. Wadea AI-Fayoume was and will always be a boy loved by many, especially his mother who whishes to remember him as an angel and her befriend.
Written By Nohemi Sanchez
Sources:
abc NEWS: Man pleads not guilty to hate crime in fatal stabbing of 6-yeat-old Muslim boy in Illinois
NEWS: Illinois man charged with murder in the fatal stabbing of a Palestinian American boy pleads not guilty
CNN US: A 6-year-old Palestinian-American was stabbed 26 times for being Muslim, police say. His mom couldn’t go to his funeral because she was stabbed, too
Featured Image Courtesy of Alisdare Hickson Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
Inset Image Courtesy of Tim Dennell Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
