Family of Murdered Haifa Woman Seeks Custody of Special-Needs Son

The family of Yana Zikova, who was murdered in Haifa roughly a week and a half ago, is seeking legal avenues to obtain custody of her young son. Zikova, 43, was found in critical condition at her apartment in the Kiryat Haim neighborhood, and her death was pronounced at the scene by MDA (Magen David Adom) medical teams.

Her ex-partner, Pavel Falkush, from whom she divorced several months ago and who is suspected of the crime, was arrested shortly afterward. Zikova immigrated from Ukraine to Israel, and her family still resides there. Their six-year-old son, who has special needs, was inside the home during the murder and witnessed the event. At this stage, he is under the care of welfare authorities from the Haifa municipality, having been transferred there on the night of the murder.

Zikova's parents, Vladimir and Nadia, who arrived from Ukraine for their daughter's funeral, are exploring legal options with the help of legal experts to remain in the country and gain custody of their grandson. The child recently started his studies in a special education classroom at Gordon School in the city.

A relative shared insights on the family bond: "The child is in a dedicated care framework provided by the Haifa municipality. There is a strong connection between him and the grandmother who arrived in the country. She devotedly cared for him in the months when Yana was injured following a severe car accident, ensuring he got to his transportation for school and looking after him. The grandmother and grandson are deeply attached. Yana was her only daughter, and the family is utterly devastated."

At the funeral held last Friday, Nadia broke down in tears, stating: "What chance did she even have? He stabbed her perhaps more than twenty times all over her body. What chance does a woman have at all? No one heard her. He stabbed and stabbed my daughter. What a tremendous tragedy."