It is neither the first nor the only tragic event associated with this river (see my post "The fatal bridge and the Fungus" from july 2010), but it is certainly the most ghastly one. The grandfather (who was also her stepfather) and the mother of the dead girl Rose Pisam, are in prison.
Little Rose was the child of her grandfather's son and her grandfather's wife (formerly her father's wife). Murky? Yes, like the waters of the Yarkon river.
Apparently, the grandfather - stepfather, a man in his forties, couldn't stand the sight of the little girl (the child of his young son and the woman he loved), beat her to death and placed her into a suitcase which was then abandoned in the river.
Hayarkon river, the longest shore river in Israel, flows from its sources (Rosh Hayin Springs) through several municipial areas into the Mediterranean Sea , near Tel Aviv port. It has always been in the news, mainly because of heavy pollution issues. Despite the many efforts invested in cleaning the waters, the river is still polluted, and as far as I know swimming here is forbidden by the Health Authorities. Along its banks however, there are many historical sights and especially recreational attractions such as: parks, sports fields, bicycle tracks, a rowing center, work-out facilities.
man cleaning the water
jogging and bicycle track
Tragic events and blessed activities co-exist in this river's area which is very central geographically and very popular among the inhabitants of the adjacent cities. As usual, Life goes on under any circumstances.
You always make your posts so interesting, Duta, and you captured the little girl in the suitcase in a river which has life going on all around it, as a very clear picture for me. And it make me think.
ReplyDeleteSuch a shame! By odd coincidence a story our local noon news carried a story of a mother and a grandmother arrested for hiding the body of an infant in a local cave. I'll never understand how people can hurt children.
ReplyDeleteVera,
ReplyDeleteThank you, Vera, for your kind words.
The river has an history of tragedies, and whenever I see the good life on its banks it makes me think of life in general, and of all those unfortunate people who've drowned in its waters, in particular.
Chips "Rocket Man" Allen,
Sadly, newspapers are full with stories of this kind. Mother, grandmother, grandfather, are not just people, but family - and this makes the deed even more unimaginable and hard to grasp.
Wow! This boggles my mind. How could that step-father murder his grandchild. The daughter of his son! His Son! It's insanity.
ReplyDeleteIt looks like such a lovely river, too bad it's polluted, but it's nice that at least the shoreline is being used for something enjoyable.
Only a cowardly, sick person could harm a defenseless child. So very sad.
ReplyDeleteKaren
Ladybug Creek
My heart breaks for the little girl who didn't have a chance. I can't even wrap my brain around a grandfather doin' such a thing. Water...a giver of life and it can take it away.
ReplyDeleteAs I was readin' this my mind went to the two children, a brother and his sister, who was sledin' down a hill. That hill had a pond at the bottom. Enforcement don't know if the children were thrown into the frozen pond off the sleds or if they tried to walk on the surface and fell through but the both spent hours under before they were discovered. 'Just tragic!!!
God bless you sweet one and have an amazing weekend!
Wow - that does look like a murky river. What a horrible story. But you sure know how to bring the reader right in!
ReplyDeleteAlicia,
ReplyDeleteThere's no suitable word to define the murderer-'insane' , 'sick' are understatements.
The river, despite its polluted status, is indeed lovely.
Karen,
The word 'sick' characterizes the whole set of relationsips in that family. The child was the direct victim of these sick relations.
Nezzy,
"water a giver of life and can take it away." How true!
Your story about the little sister and brother is terribly tragic!
What a horrific and sad story. Breaks my heart to hear of such tragedies.
ReplyDeleteWhat a sad and terrible history for that river.
ReplyDeleteJayne,
ReplyDeleteThanks a lot for the compliment. This "horrible story" is unfortunately part of the river's rich past in tragedies, and it's hard to start telling about the river without mentioning at least the last tragic event that has occurred there.
Cheryl,
I agree with you. It's not like collecting hearts in nature - this wonderful hobby of yours. It's breaking a real heart.
Janie B,
I believe every river has some sort of history of drownings and crimes. The nature of these cases depend on various factors such as proximity to inhabited places and the size and volume of the river. The Yarkon river is a long one and flows through major urban locations.
Looks so very beautiful river the Murky...but it goes on, coexists with both of Life and Death..together
ReplyDeleteDifficult to comment on a story like that without repeating what has already been said. It seems figuratively significant that the river is polluted and all the attempts to clean it up have failed.
ReplyDeleteThe Industrial river that I live next to, the river Tyne, has had decades of cleaning and it is finally paying off with Salmon upstream, so don't give up all hope.
What a shame! But I can understand that some people are absolutely sick to act like that...
ReplyDeleteA very sad story. It's difficult to understand how any one can do that to another person let alone a child.
ReplyDeleteThis was tragic, indeed. Our hearts as parents go out to children who are the victims of tragedy, especially when they are the victims of their own family. Yet, as you said, both tragedy and blessedness exist, not only on this river, but also the world over.
ReplyDeleteDUTA:
ReplyDeleteI like teh wee nuggets of wisdom which accompany your posts. Life goes on and what a way to illustrate that.
Have a good Sunday.
Joy always,
Susan
What a story. I just can't imagine how someone could harm a child let alone it being so closely related. Sick people! It would probably take a miracle to get the river completely cleaned up.
ReplyDeleteAlso just wanted to thank you my friend for all the sweet comments you leave on my posts! You always make my day!
until next time... nel
nomore,
ReplyDeleteWe people are used to this kind of co-existence , and yet, it never ceases to puzzle us.
J on tour@jayspaze,
The river is still polluted, but not as much as in the past. So, there's Hope to further improve the situation. I like this thing with the salmon!
Phivos Nicolaides,
Nothing, even sickness of the mind, can justify such a barbaric deed.
Trevor Woodford,
Children are often the victims of violent adults, and this is indeed very hard to understand and accept.
Dimple,
Family abuse of children as in this tragic case, is indeed the most difficult matter for us to grasp.
Susan Deborah,
I like it that you like what you call "wee nuggets of wisdom". I know that you're an expert on this.
Nel,
You're more than welcome!
As for the river, there are hopes about improving its state, but I would agree with you that it could take a miracle to clean it up.
Sad story! Too sad!
ReplyDeleteAnd I think that river hides many secrets... but as you say: life goes on!
What happened to the the girl's father?
ReplyDeleteA very sad tragedy. She was just a little girl.
Have a great week ahead Duta.
What a tragedy, as many we hear on the news. Last night I was listening about a mother that killed her son and daughter. And the inevitable question always arises: "why?????"
ReplyDeleteI always find your posts so interesting and so well written. I like how you refer to the river as the place where good and evil collide.
Dutta, thanks for stopping by my blog, and for your kind comment :-)
Doris
robert,
ReplyDelete"..too sad" - indeed so.
The entire country was in mourning after the suitcase was found and the body remains identified. People felt great sadness.
Regina,
The father of the girl lives in France. The mother (now in prison) is french-born. The two men are israelis. After the divorce , the mother came to live in Israel with the father of her ex, and brought also the girl with her.
Hold my hand:a social worker's blog,
Why indeed?
Thanks a lot for your warm words about my posts.
It's always a great pleasure for me to stop by your blog.
Duta~ Sad, sad story. We had a story fairly similar to this erupt last summer in a town a few hours away (where my brother lives). Turns out, a step-parent was involved, though the motive is yet to be uncovered. Perhaps some human beings are simply evil...
ReplyDeleteI remember that story. It was such a sad one. I guess some thing has to go with somethng bad. The attractions are wonderful, but so sad the river is so bad.
ReplyDeleteSusannah,
ReplyDeleteI believe there's some evil in any human being, but some of us have got a great deal of evil in their soul.
Kalynn ("Mimi"),
It seems this tragic story has travelled far, from Israel to America (if you've heard of it).
So, they say, 'there's no good without something bad'.
What a tragic ending for that poor little girl.
ReplyDeleteThat is beyond tragic. It is horrifying.
ReplyDeletehttp://ficklecattle.blogspot.com/
*Off topic alert*
ReplyDeleteDuta, you've been on my mind so much these past several hours. I'm getting more & more concerned about the Mubarak situation. Hoping you & yours are hanging in there & staying safe.
Saron Wagner, Fickle Cattle,
ReplyDeleteI agree with both of you.
And what's worse - the two little kids of the couple in prison (Roses's half brothers) are punished. They grow up now without a father and mother. Don't know who's taking care of them now, probably welfare has placed them into a foster family of some kind.
Susannah,
ReplyDeleteThanks a lot for your concern about me.
The situation in Egypt doesn't look good and it will affect the whole region. There's nothing we can do now except watch and pray.
Duta, you draw such an interesting juxtaposition between the mundane and the tragic. What a terribly sad story, I am sorry to read it.
ReplyDeleteSorry it happened is perhaps more what I meant to say.
ReplyDeleteColleen,
ReplyDeleteThank you, Colleen.
Tragic and terribly sad indeed. I wish we could prevent such happenings, but it appears we are often helpless when facing violence.
I feel the same. Sometimes I watch the news or listen to yet another terrible story of abuse or torture or anything really that we humans are capable of and feel helpless in the face of so much evil.
ReplyDeleteI pray. Sometimes I think it is all we can do.
Colleen,
ReplyDeletePraying is the right thing to do. I hope it's not all we can do. Anyway, authorities seem to be unable to protect the weak.
I remember this story. It's impossible to understand minds that can justify taking someone's life. It would also be impossible for most, not to think of this when looking, at what appears to be, a peaceful river. It's too bad that the river, as well as some minds, are so polluted.
ReplyDeleteBica,
ReplyDeletePolluted river, and polluted minds - how true!
An innocent little girl the victim of a terrible pollution that cannot be understood by the human mind .