Muslim boy killed in Chicago hate crime remembered as playful and kind
| Bridgeview, Ill.
Crowds of mourners in a heavily Palestinian Chicago suburb paid respects Oct. 16 to a 6-year-old Muslim boy killed in an alleged hate crime, hours after authorities revealed new details about the evidence used to charge the family鈥檚 landlord with stabbing the child and his mother.
Wadea Al-Fayoume, who had recently had a birthday, died Oct. 14 after being stabbed dozens of times in a brutal attack that drew condemnation from local elected officials and the White House. Authorities said the family鈥檚 landlord, Joseph Czuba, was upset over the Israel-Hamas war and attacked them after the boy鈥檚 mother proposed they 鈥減ray for peace.鈥�
In Bridgeview, which is home to a large and established Palestinian community, family and friends remembered Wadea as an energetic boy who loved playing games. His body was carried in a small white casket 鈥� which was at times draped with a Palestinian flag 鈥� through packed crowds.
Mosque Foundation Imam Jamal Said reflected on the boy鈥檚 death during the janazah, or funeral prayer, but also on the wider loss of life in the war between Israel and Hamas.
鈥淲adea is a child and he is not the only one under attack,鈥� he said, adding many 鈥渃hildren are being slaughtered literally in the Holy Land, unfortunately, which is very sad.鈥�
Mahmoud Yousef, the boy鈥檚 uncle, remembered Wadea as a typical 6-year-old who was active, playful and kind. Citing a text message from the boy鈥檚 mother, who was still recovering as her son was buried, Mr. Yousef said she recalled the last words her son spoke to her after he was stabbed: 鈥淢om, I鈥檓 fine.鈥�
鈥淵ou know what, he is fine,鈥� Mr. Yousef said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 in a better place.鈥�
Earlier Monday, Mr. Czuba made his first court appearance on murder, attempted murder, and hate crime charges. In detailing the charges Oct. 15, the Will County Sheriff鈥檚 Office determined 鈥渂oth victims in this brutal attack were targeted by the suspect due to them being Muslim and the ongoing Middle Eastern conflict involving Hamas and the Israelis.鈥�
Mr. Czuba, a Plainfield resident, replied, 鈥淵es, sir,鈥� when asked if he understood the charges and was subsequently returned to jail in Joliet, 50 miles southwest of Chicago. A Will County judge granted a court-appointed lawyer. The public defender鈥檚 office did not immediately return messages seeking comment about the charges against him.
The boy鈥檚 mother told investigators that she rents two rooms on the first floor of the Plainfield home while Mr. Czuba and his wife live on the second floor, Assistant State鈥檚 Attorney Michael Fitzgerald said in a court filing.
鈥淗e was angry at her for what was going on in Jerusalem,鈥� Mr. Fitzgerald said. 鈥淪he responded to him, 鈥楲et鈥檚 pray for peace.鈥� ... Czuba then attacked her with a knife.鈥�
The boy鈥檚 mother fought him off and went into a bathroom where she stayed until police arrived. Wadea, meanwhile, was in his own room, Mr. Fitzgerald said.
The mother was identified by family members as Hanaan Shahin, though authorities used a different spelling for her name as well as her son鈥檚 name.
On the day of the attack, police found Mr. Czuba with a cut on his forehead, sitting on the ground outside the home.
Mr. Czuba鈥檚 wife, Mary, told police that her husband feared they would be attacked by people of Middle Eastern descent and had withdrawn $1,000 from a bank 鈥渋n case the U.S. grid went down,鈥� Mr. Fitzgerald said in the court document.
In Bridgeview, the boy鈥檚 father briefly spoke to reporters in Arabic, saying he was trying to make sense of what happened to his son and the boy鈥檚 mother.聽
鈥淚鈥檓 here as the father of the boy, not as a politician or religious scholar. I鈥檓 here as the father of a boy whose rights were violated,鈥� he said.
Community members chanted prayers in unison outside the mosque following the janazah as leaders transported the casket into a hearse. 鈥淭here is no God, but God,鈥� 鈥淭he martyr is beloved by God,鈥� and 鈥淕od is greatest,鈥� they chanted, calls many Muslims recite in moments of grief, distress, or remembrance.
At a news conference outside the mosque, speakers called for politicians and media to be responsible with their rhetoric and coverage of the Israel-Hamas war. Attendees gathered close to hear, phones recording and expressions somber.
In recent days, Jewish and Muslim groups have reported an increase of hateful rhetoric in the wake of the war. Several cities have stepped up police patrols.
The Justice Department said it opened a hate crime investigation into the attack.
鈥淭his horrific act of hate has no place in America, and stands against our fundamental values: freedom from fear for how we pray, what we believe, and who we are,鈥� President Joe Biden said.
This story was reported by The Associated Press.聽AP writers Ed White in Detroit and Noreen Nasir in New York contributed to this report.
