Autopsy: Slain Israeli boy strangled

KIRYAT GAT, Israel, Jan. 4 (UPI) -- An autopsy of a 7-year-old Israeli boy found under the bed of a pair of 24-year-old twins revealed he died of strangulation, a defense attorney says.

A medical expert hired by a lawyer for the twins, Naor and Adi Sodmi, also determined that Leon Kalnatarov was not sexually assaulted before his death, The Jerusalem Post reported Monday.

Attorney Yaron Forer told the newspaper the autopsy was performed during the weekend at the L. Greenberg Institute for Forensic Medicine at Abu Kabir.

"It's important to stress that the boy was not sexually attacked, according to the (expert's) report," Forer said. "He was choked, but one can be choked in several ways. The report does not say how."

Police said Leon was found Friday covered in plastic sheets under the Sodmi twins' bed in the town of Bnei Ayish.

A police spokesman, however, told the Post that no final conclusions have been received from the coroners. Official reports indicated the brothers had been accused by local residents of approaching children in playgrounds, at times exposing themselves.

They were arrested shortly after the discovery of the body, authorities said.

(Edit:Ruby)