LIVE: 6-year-old unincorp. Plainfield murder victim to be laid to rest as DOJ opens investigation

PLAINFIELD, Ill. (WLS) -- The 6-year-old suburban boy stabbed to death in an apparent hate crime over the weekend will be laid to rest Monday, in Muslim tradition.

Joseph Czuba stabbed Wadea Al-Fayoume and his mother in unincorporated Plainfield Saturday morning because they are Muslim, the Will County Sheriff's Office said on Sunday.

Late Sunday, the Chicago FBI Field Office, the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Illinois said they have opened a federal investigation into the killing.

ABC7'S legal analyst Gil Soffer explained why the federal government is getting involved.

"It really means that the federal government sees the same case and has the same interest in the case as the state. The feds want to pursue this, the feds see a right that's been violated, rights that need to be vindicated, and it wants in the same game," Soffer said.

He said it isn't a certainty that federal charges will be filed, but he believes it's likely.

"It's likely, based on the facts as we know them so far. The most challenging part of a civil rights case like this is to prove intent. Given the statements that we hear were made by this defendant, it seems the case can be brought by the department, and it's got a pretty strong one," Soffer said.

A recent photo of Al-Fayoume showed a young Central Elementary School student who had celebrated his birthday a couple of weeks ago. He was stabbed 26 times with a military-style knife, officials said.

His mother was stabbed 12 times, and remains in the hospital.

Will County investigators said they were attacked by their landlord in their home on Saturday morning. A small memorial is growing there.

The boy and mother had rented the ground floor for the past two years, with no issues arising until Saturday.

"What we have is a murdered Palestinian child by someone who is radicalized by the environment in which we live right now, that casts Palestinians as human animals," said Ahmed Rehab, president of the Council on American-Islamic Relations in Chicago. "This person had no track record with the family. As a matter of fact, the father says he had built a treehouse for the boy, and allowed him to swim in a makeshift pool and brought him toys."

Czuba, 71, has been charged with first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder and two counts of committing a hate crime.

Chopper 7 was over the scene in the 16200-block of South Lincoln Highway near Lily Cache Road.

The boy's father was too shaken to speak, but he was joined Sunday by Muslim faith leaders who say this alleged hate crime is every Palestinian American's biggest fear, as war rages in the Middle East.

"He was a lovely boy who loved his family his friends. He loved soccer, basketball, and he paid the price for the atmosphere of hate," Rehab said.

The family said the boy's 32-year-old mother left the West Bank to come to the U.S. 12 years ago, in hopes of avoiding the violence that continues today overseas.

In announcing the charges, the Will County Sheriff's Office called the crime "senseless" and "cowardly," saying, in part, "Detectives were able to determine that both victims in this brutal attack were targeted by the suspect due to them being Muslim and the on-going Middle Eastern conflict involving Hamas and the Israelis."

While investigators did not reveal their reasons for believing that, the president of the Council on Arab American Relations in Chicago stood alongside the murdered boy's father and described text messages sent to him by his ex-wife from the hospital, where she is still recovering from at least 12 stab wounds.

"He knocked on the door and that he attempted to choke her, and said, 'you Muslims must die,' and attempted to stab her, and stabbed her. And, she went to the bathroom and called 911. And, this was all in her own words," Rehab said.

The 32-year-old mother is in serious condition, but is expected to survive, the sheriff's office said.

Investigators said Czuba, who is an Air Force veteran, has not provided a statement to police, but they believe they have enough physical evidence, as well as witness statements to back up the charges filed.

He is being held at the Will County Adult Detention facility, and was in court Monday morning.

He appeared shackled in a red jumpsuit, and was appointed a public defender.

When asked if he understood the charges and the time he faces for each charge, he replied "yes sir."

Prosecutors in court said Czuba confronted Al-Fayoume's mother over what was going on in the Middle East, and then an argument turned physical.

Prosecutors also said Czuba confronted the mother last Wednesday, and he wanted to kick them out of the house.

In a statement, U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland said: "I am heartbroken by the abhorrent killing of Wadea Al-Fayoume, a six year old child who died after being stabbed 26 times with a military-style knife. On behalf of the entire Justice Department, I want to express my deepest condolences to his family and his community as they grieve his loss.

The Justice Department has opened a federal hate crimes investigation into the events leading to the tragic death of Wadea Al-Fayoume and the serious injuries suffered by his mother, Hanaan Shahin. The Department is limited in what more it can say because this is an ongoing criminal investigation.

This incident cannot help but further raise the fears of Muslim, Arab, and Palestinian communities in our country with regard to hate-fueled violence. The Department of Justice is focused on protecting the safety and the civil rights of every person in this country. We will use every legal authority at our disposal to bring to justice those who perpetrate illegal acts of hate. No one in the United States of America should have to live in fear of violence because of how they worship or where they or their family come from."

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson also released a statement, saying: "I am devastated by the murder of a six-year-old Palestinian American, Wadea Al-Fayoume, and the attempted murder of his mother in Plainfield, Illinois. This despicable hate crime is a shameful reminder of the destructive role Islamophobia plays in our society.

"We grieve alongside his family and the Muslim, Arab and Palestinian communities in our state as we reckon with this unthinkable loss. We also pray for his mother's recovery. We will never forget Wadea who was taken from us much too soon. May God rest his soul in eternal peace and may peace reign here on Earth."

Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas released a statement, saying, "Saturday, in Plainfield Township near Chicago, Illinois, a 6-year-old Palestinian Muslim boy was horrifically and heartbreakingly stabbed to death. His mother was severely injured in the same attack.

"There is no humane world that can and should tolerate the murder of an innocent child because of his identity. The tragic events in the Middle East, begun by the brutal terrorist attacks by Hamas, have brought ideologies of hate to the fore across the world - notably antisemitism and Islamophobia. This must end. The diversity and inclusiveness that define America must prevail.

"Our Department condemns violence, including and especially violence born of hate, and we will continue to work every day to prevent it."

Vice President Kamala Harris said in a statement: "Doug and I grieve with the family of Wadea Al-Fayoume, a six-year-old Palestinian-American Muslim child who was stabbed to death on Saturday. We also pray for the recovery of Wadea's mother, Hanaan Shahin, who was stabbed 12 times in the same attack. The Department of Justice has announced a hate crimes investigation.

"Hate has no place in America. We unequivocally condemn hate and Islamophobia and stand with the Palestinian, Arab, and Muslim American communities. The Biden-Harris Administration will continue working to protect our communities against hate and senseless violence."

Plainfield Community Consolidated School District 202, at which Al-Fayoume was a student, said in a statement: "We send our deepest condolences to the family and our District 202 community on the devastating loss of our student.

"Social work and grief counseling is available today and we will continue to provide support services to our students and staff in the coming days. Our staff will keep a close eye on students for any signs of emotional distress which will be addressed and supported.

"District 202 has done significant work with Cultural Competency throughout the years, however, emotions can run high in the community in times such as these. While we attempt to focus on what goes on inside our schools, our students are very much impacted by what happens outside of the learning environment.

"District leadership is confident that building administration and staff will continue to treat all students with mutual respect by modeling an inclusive environment in our classrooms and workplaces.

"Safety of all our students is paramount to Plainfield Community Consolidated School District 202. We continue to implement our school level safety plans including increased monitoring of student and staff interactions.

"Bigotry and hate have no place in our schools."