Subscribe to Print Edition | Thu., March 27, 2008 Adar2 21, 5768 | | Israel Time: 01:59 (EST+7) web haaretz.com   Back to Homepage Rosner's Domain Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Advertising Books Arts & Leisure Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File

Mother of 12 held for abusing children By Jonathan Lis A Jerusalem court yesterday ordered a 54-year-old woman from Ramat Beit Shemesh to be held for six days after allegations surfaced of severe, ongoing abuse involving at least some of her 12 children, who range from eight to 33 years old. In addition to suspicions of physical abuse, police believe the woman also failed to report incest among a number of her children to the authorities. Advertisement Over the past several months, only two of the children lived with the mother. They were subsequently removed by welfare authorities. The suspect reported to her arraignment hearing wearing clothing that concealed her entire body, including her face. Her attorney told the judge that because her client's religious beliefs precluded her from responding directly to a male judge, any exchange would be mediated via the attorney. The police investigation started began in early February after neighbors reported hearing a child crying for help and seeing objects being thrown at him. The responding officers were forced to wait outside the apartment for two hours because the mother refused to let them in. Only rabbinical intervention enabled the entry of the police. The officers who entered found a young boy, evidently mentally or emotionally disabled, bearing signs of physical abuse and covered in his own feces. "When I was in the apartment you couldn't determine systematic abuse but something appeared unusual. We immediately began investigating," Police Superintendent Roni Markovitch, head of investigations for Beit Shemesh, said yesterday. Detectives, working with welfare authorities, removed the child from the home and launched an undercover investigation. A girl of about eight was removed later due to ongoing neglect. The investigators described a "reign of terror" in the home, with the mother beating the children with belts and electrical cords and preventing them from receiving medical care afterward. Police say that on some occasions the children were forced to sleep outside if they came home late. After one boy told investigators that he had sex with an older sister when she was 18, police began investigating incest allegations involving additional siblings. The suspect's attorney, Vered Birger, said yesterday that her client supports corporal punishment as an educational tool but denies the allegations against her. Birger said she feels she is being persecuted because of her clothing and her worldview. The police representative at yesterday's arraignment said the suspect admitted to some of the alleged crimes. Bookmark to del.icio.us   Best served cold Safed chief rabbi calls on state to exact 'revenge' against Arabs. The Jewish hurdle Obama: I disagree with aide who blamed 'NY, Miami' for failed peace talks.

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