Yan Shmela to be charged with inserting anesthetics into baby food jars | Watch the incriminating footage
Israel Police announced that they have solved the case of baby fruit purees that were laced with anesthetics. A statement of charges will be filed against Yan Shmela, 41, from Be'er Sheva, and the prosecution will request a five-day extension of his remand until an indictment is filed. The investigation was conducted by the Crime Fighting Unit in the Zion District in cooperation with the Shin Bet, and included analysis of hundreds of hours of security camera footage and covert surveillance of the suspect. His motive remains unclear.
Israel Police announced today (Thursday) that they have solved the case of baby fruit purees that were laced with anesthetics. A statement of charges will be filed against Yan Shmela, 41, from Be'er Sheva, and the prosecution will request a five-day extension of his remand until an indictment is filed. The investigation was conducted by the Crime Fighting Unit in the Zion District, in cooperation with the Israel Security Agency. At the beginning of the investigation, investigators had no leads pointing to the suspect, who had no direct or known connection to the affected babies or the products. Investigators viewed and analyzed hundreds of hours of security camera footage, while simultaneously employing technological means. Eventually, they managed to link Shmela to the incidents in Jerusalem. After his identification, investigators moved to the covert stage and tracked his actions. Once the evidentiary basis was established, Shmela was arrested at his home. Police have footage showing Shmela in a supermarket shortly before he allegedly placed the purees. In hearings, his defense attorney argued that Shmela has a mental health background and requested that he be sent for a psychiatric evaluation. The affair was exposed in June, after several children arrived at Hadassah Ein Kerem with symptoms of exposure to anesthetics. Clonazepam and Lorazepam were found in jars of "Prinok" puree. The jars were purchased at two branches of "Zol VeGadol" in Jerusalem. Tests at the importer were found to be normal. Five jars had been tampered with. In the early stages, a nationalist motive was also examined but ruled out. Shmela's motive remains unclear.