Israel Police on Thursday morning announced that the Jerusalem District has completed its investigation of Yan Shamla, who is suspected of inserting sedatives into baby fruit purées.

A prosecutor’s declaration will be filed against him later today ahead of an indictment.

Police also released footage of Shamla inside a supermarket, allegedly shortly before he placed the poisoned purées on the shelves.

The police issued a statement saying: “Investigators initially faced a complex case involving locations frequented by hundreds of people every day, with no immediate leads. The principal suspect had no known prior connection to either the affected babies or the products.

“As part of the investigation, conducted with assistance from the Shin Bet, investigators reviewed and analyzed hundreds of hours of security footage from multiple locations, pursued numerous investigative avenues, and employed advanced technological tools.

“These capabilities, combined with the investigators’ persistence, ultimately produced the breakthrough that led them to identify the suspect as Yan Shamla, 41, of Be’er Sheva. Once he was identified, detectives launched a covert investigation, tracking his activities, movements, and daily routine until they had gathered sufficient evidence to arrest him at his home and bring him in for questioning.”

Police added: “With the investigation completed and the evidentiary basis established, prosecutors will file a declaration against the suspect in court today and request that his detention be extended for an additional five days pending the filing of an indictment.”

After his arrest, police determined that Shamla had been “involved in the deliberate poisoning of babies.” He was arrested at his home on August 31. He was evaluated at a psychiatric hospital and found fit to remain under arrest.

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)