CHICAGO — The mother of a 6-year-old boy who was murdered in unincorporated Plainfield Township has retained nationally known Civil Rights Attorney Ben Crump.

Wadea Al-Fayoume was fatally stabbed 26 times on Oct. 14 by Joseph Czuba, the family’s 71-year-old landlord. The boy’s mother, Hanan Shaheen, was stabbed 12 times in the attack and is still recovering.

Czuba has been charged with three counts of first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, two counts of hate crime and two counts of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon.

Authorities said Czuba singled them out because of their Muslim faith and as a response to the escalating Israel-Hamas war.

In a statement released Tuesday, nationally renowned civil rights and personal injury attorney Ben Crump announced he had been retained by Hanan.

Crump has released the following statement:

“There is no tolerance for hate crimes and hate speech in America, and a 6-year-old boy should never have to pay the price for hate-fueled behavior. The pain endured by the Al-Fayoume family is immeasurable. No family should have to bear such a devastating loss, compounded by the burden of overwhelming medical bills. We must come together as a society not only to seek justice for Wadea but also to support this grieving family in their time of need. Just as we did for Trayvon Martin, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd, we must ensure that Wadea’s name is heard loud and clear. May his name serve as a reminder that in a civilized society there is no place for hate, racism, anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, or xenophobia.”

Attorney Ben Crump

A press conference with Crump and Hanan was scheduled for Wednesday morning, but has been postponed. It is unknown when it will be rescheduled at this time.