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Last update - 07:32 14/03/2008 Jerusalem parents held in suspicion of torturing toddler sons By Jonathan Lis, Haaretz Correspondent Tags: Jerusalem, Israel  Police are still not sure who is responsible for the abuse of two small children hospitalized with severe burns and bruises. The boys' mother admitted the abuse charges under interrogation Wednesday night, but later recanted. The father has not visited his eight children since the Sukkot holiday. Several friends of the mother frequented the home and helped with the children. One of these friends called emergency services Wednesday night and performed CPR on the unconscious 3-year-old and was also detained by police. Advertisement During a bail hearing Thursday for the parents and family friend, Judge Haim Liran ruled that none of the evidence so far fixes who assaulted the children. "Some of the evidence ties each of the suspects to the charges," Liran said and denied bail for five more days. The woman comes from a prominent family in the New York Jewish community. She immigrated from the U.S. more than a decade ago. Jerusalem police yesterday called the abuse of the 3- and 4-year-old boys exceptional in its severity. Detective Aliza Aroch termed it "monstrous." Commander Bruno Stein, in describing the boys' injuries, said police could see the children had been tied up and suffered from skin lesions that resulted from criminal neglect. "We could see they had been beaten with objects, and had various kinds of burns resulting from heaters being placed against their legs and bodies." In the family's apartment, police found torn nylon restraints with blood stains, allegedly used to tie the children. Both children are still hospitalized at Hadassah University Hospital, Ein Kerem. The 4-year-old was brought in three days ago with burns and is in good condition. However, the 3-year-old remains in critical condition and has not regained consciousness since being admitted to the intensive care unit. Police arrested the parents and family friend after doctors suspected abuse. More extensive medical examination revealed that both children bore signs of prior abuse. The mother confessed to the abuse but later recanted and claimed detectives threatened she would not be allowed to visit her hospitalized children until she admitted the assault. The father, who also denies the charges, told detectives he wasn't at home at the time of the assault and had been out of town that day. However, detectives have evidence the father beat the children with a rod in the past. The family's remaining children have been removed from the home, and police have prohibited family members from visiting the injured boys until they can be questioned. The parents, who are both U.S. citizens, have not contacted the American consulate in Jerusalem for assistance, a consulate spokesperson said. (Daphna Berman contributed to this report.) Related articles: U.S. asks Israel to extradite ultra-Orthodox Jew accused of child abuse Child advocates slam 'laughable' sentence for abusive father Bookmark to del.icio.us   Not even for Natalie A Haredi actor quits Natalie Portman's latest film due to rabbis' protests. Al-Jazeera boycott Al-Jazeera slams Israeli boycott as attack on free expression.   1.   Parents 02:28  |  BD 14/03/08   2.   Life sentence to whoever responsible 04:39  |  Free Gilad Shalit 14/03/08   3.   Child Abuse 06:12  |  leven5 14/03/08   4.   To 1 06:53  |  Simon 14/03/08   5.   So many couple want children but cannot even adopt, some parents 08:36  |  Sara 14/03/08   6.   All child abusers should be locked up for life. 08:44  |  Deborah 14/03/08   7.   Thank G-d the kids are away from the abuse. 13:58  |  petra 14/03/08   8.   Cancerous society 02:09  |  marilyn 15/03/08   9.   Wretches 05:06  |  Gordon 15/03/08   10.   Mental problems? 10:19  |  Joseph 16/03/08

Today Online IAF resumes Gaza strikes, kills 3 Islamic Jihad men Responses: 75 Gideon Levy: Barak trying his best to ruin peace process Responses: 11 Uzi Benziman: Hawkish Israeli public leaves no room for Meretz Responses: 4 Bush to push Israel, PA for progress before his May visit Responses: 17 Rosner's Domain If you marry them, you have a better chance of keeping them State Department: UN measures fuel anti-Semitism (WTR) Poll: Is the "road map" still relevant? Neocons and the cultural proclivity of Jews (WTR) General Fraser and the third whiner More Headlines 09:36 IAF strike kills three Islamic Jihad militants in northern Gaza 11:03 Netanyahu files NIS 2M libel suit over Ch. 10 spending expose 09:34 ANALYSIS: Say goodbye to quiet after Gaza militant deaths 07:11 Bush to push Israel, PA for progress before his May visit 08:18 Report: Syria wants 'public' peace talks with Israel 10:04 Treasury finally admits: Israel facing economic slowdown 10:55 Falashmura slam gov't treatment of immigration applications 10:00 Ramle woman sustains light wounds in suspected 'honor killing' attempt 10:22 Tibetan exiles in Tel Aviv protest Chinese crackdown in Tibet 02:34 Merkel to arrive in Israel, will be first chancellor to address Knesset 04:18 U.S. gov't asks Congress to okay plan to boost funds for PA police 00:29 Firebombs hurled into home of Jewish Agency representative in U.S. Previous Editions Select Day 14 mar 13 mar 12 mar 11 mar 10 mar 09 mar 07 mar 06 mar 05 mar 04 mar 03 mar 02 mar

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