Heartbroken dad of 6 year old boy fatally stabbed by landlord files lawsuit

03 December 2023 , 22:36

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The tragic child is alleged to have been stabbed to death by his landlord (Image: No credit)

The devastated father of a six year old Palestinian American boy, who was tragically stabbed to death by his landlord, has filed a lawsuit for wrongful death. Oday Al-Fayoume lodged the lawsuit against the landlord from suburban Chicago, who is accused of the attack that killed his son and seriously injured the boy's mother.

Authorities claim that Joseph Czuba, 71, targeted Wadea Al-Fayoume and his mother Hanaan Shahin on Oct. 14 due to their Muslim faith and in reaction to the conflict between Israel and Hamas. Czuba pleaded not guilty to hate crime and murder charges in October.

The lawsuit, filed on Nov. 21 in Will County, names Czuba, his wife Mary Czuba, both from Plainfield, and their property management company, Discerning Property Management.

READ MORE: Chilling texts sent by Palestinian mum after son, 6, stabbed to death 'for being Muslim'

Wadea Al-Fayoume had lived on the ground floor of the house for two years before he was stabbed to death (No credit)

According to the lawsuit, Joseph Czuba allegedly told his wife to tell Shahin he wanted the family out of the apartment where they had lived for two years. He also reportedly said he feared Shahin's "Palestinian friends were going to harm them,"

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The lawsuit accuses Mary Czuba and the management company of being "indifferent and failed to recognize a threat and prevent serious bodily harm" to their tenants. A hearing is scheduled for March 11.

"Justice comes in many forms ... and there is, obviously, unbelievable loss in Wadea, but his mother also was injured seriously, and we believe that there are avenues to recover compensation for what the family's been through," said Ben Crane, Oday Al-Fayoume's lawyer.

Joseph Czuba is accused of murder, attempted murder and a hate crime in the attack (AP)

The Czubas do not yet have an attorney in the wrongful death case and Mary Czuba has filed paperwork to divorce Joseph Czuba, according to court records.

Czuba remains detained in Will County as he awaits a January hearing in the criminal case. His attorney, George Lenard, has said he won't comment on the case outside court.

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Charlie Jones