Muslim mom injured in deadly unincorp. Plainfield stabbing released from hospital: CAIR-Chicago
71-year-old Joseph Czuba faces hate crime charges in attack that killed Hanaan Shahin's 6-year-old son, Wadea Al-Fayoume
PLAINFIELD, Ill. (WLS) -- A Muslim mother who was stabbed and seriously injured in an alleged hate crime in unincorporated Plainfield last weekend has been released from the hospital, the Chicago office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations said on Saturday.
The stabbing happened in the 16200-block of South Lincoln Highway near Lily Cache Road on Saturday, Oct. 14.
The Will County Sheriff's Office said 32-year-old Hanaan Shahin's landlord, Joseph Czuba, stabbed her at least 12 times.
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Czuba, 71, allegedly stabbed Shahin's 6-year-old son, Wadea Al-Fayoume, 26 times. The child died from his injuries.
Czuba has been charged with first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder and two counts of committing a hate crime. The sheriff's office said he targeted the mother and son because they are Muslim.
Prosecutors in court said Czuba confronted Shahin over what was going on in the Middle East, and then an argument turned physical. Assistant State's Attorney Michael Fitzgerald recounted the mother's statements to police.
"Czuba was angry at her over what was going on in Jerusalem. She responded by saying, 'Let's pray for peace.' He didn't give her time. He then attacked her with a knife," Fitzgerald said.
Fitzgerald then added that Czuba's wife, who was not home during the attack, stated that her husband wanted them to move out.
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"He believed they were in danger, and she was going to call her Palestinian friends over to harm them," Fitzgerald said.
In announcing the charges against Czuba, the Will County Sheriff's Office called the crime "senseless" and "cowardly," saying, in part, "Detectives were able to determine that both victims in this brutal attack were targeted by the suspect due to them being Muslim and the on-going Middle Eastern conflict involving Hamas and the Israelis."
Czuba is being held at the Will County Adult Detention facility pending his trial and chose to be represented by a public defender. If convicted, he will spend the rest of his life in prison.
