The Tel Aviv Magistrate's Court on Wednesday remanded to custody Sigal Yana Itskovitch who is suspected of murdering her 6-year-old son Liam using an ax in their home in Herzliya.
The murder case shocked Herzliya residents, who described the mother as being very dedicated to her son. "They’re good people. She’s a loving mother, and it’s unclear what happened," one neighbor told Ynet.
"It’s truly a tragedy. He was a sweet child. The incident was very surprising. It must be a psychotic episode, there’s no other explanation. This is a mother who was in love with her child. She never behaved out of the ordinary.”
Itskovitch was arrested on Wednesday after charging at passersby with an ax and attacking a security guard at a shopping mall in Herzliya. After her arrest, the child's grandmother, mother of the suspect, discovered his body at the family home. The suspect's husband and the child's father, who was on reserve duty near Gaza, rushed to Herzliya upon receiving the news.
Reports indicate that the mother did not attend the hearing. A source involved in the case stated, "The suspect isn’t communicating, and it is impossible to talk to her."
Attorney Benjamin Malka, representing the suspect, remarked before the hearing, "This is a terrible tragedy. A family has lost their child. We’re only starting to learn about this shocking and horrific case and especially what led up to it."
During the hearing, a police representative detailed the suspect's alleged actions. "The suspect murdered her son and her dog, then went to a shopping mall where she attempted to harm passersby and eventually attempted to murder a security guard using a cold weapon. She was arrested and taken to the hospital.
“Dozens of investigative actions have been taken since her arrest, such as taking testimonies and reviewing security camera footage. Due to the suspect's dangerousness and the numerous investigative actions still required to be completed, we request to extend her detention by 15 days." He added the suspect hasn’t been interrogated yet, though testimonies indicate she acted with intention.
The police also requested to take the suspect’s urine and blood samples to be sent to a toxicology lab, as there’s suspicion of her possible use of dangerous substances. The police representative added there were no previous warnings of such a severe crime set to take place, but additional information about the incident was included in the confidential report submitted to the court.
Judge Ravit Peleg Bar-Dayan said, "This is a shocking case. A review of the investigation materials indicates reasonable suspicion of the offenses attributed to the suspect, who cruelly murdered her 6-year-old son and caused the death of the family dog. She then left her home, walked toward a nearby shopping mall, and attacked passersby and the mall security guard using an axe."
"Numerous investigative actions need to be carried out under judicial supervision. Weight should be given to both sides asking the suspect be seen by a psychiatrist to determine if she's fit to be detained," she added.
Ynet also learned on Wednesday that neighbors had previously reported several violent incidents between the child's parents to the police, but no complaints were filed in these cases.
It’s currently unclear if the previous incidents were directed at 6-year-old Liam, and as far as is known no similar case has been reported in the past. The police suspect the mother might have been experiencing a psychotic episode during the incident.