SOLVED NY - Tala Farea, 16, Rotana Farea, 22, Hudson River, 24 Oct 2018- COD released: suicide/drowning

[inmyhumbleopinion]

CNN reports (Updated 4:23 PM EDT, Fri November 02, 2018)

“"At this point in time we have no credible information that a crime took place in New York City,’ [Chief of Detectives Dermot] Shea said, ‘but it is still under investigation.’

[SBM]

Before their disappearance, the sisters were living in some kind of ‘shelter-like’ facility due to abuse allegations that came up in their home jurisdiction.

Shea did not elaborate or give further details on reports of abuse, which he said are not corroborated at this time.

According to Shea, investigators believe the sisters left Fairfax, Virginia, on either August 23 or 24 and took different methods of transportation, including Uber, to New York, where they arrived on or about September 1.

[SBM]

In video police have seen, the sisters were in ‘apparently good health’ as recently as a week before their bodies were found on the riverbank, duct-taped together in a way that appeared to be ‘keeping them together,’ Shea said, but was not meant to bind them.

Investigators have also spoken to an eyewitness who came forward Wednesday and told police he saw two girls sitting in a playground park adjacent to the Hudson the day the bodies were found.

The witness was out exercising at about 7 a.m. when he saw two girls sitting about 30 feet apart with their heads in their hands, praying.

Shea described the witness as a ‘credible source’ who told police the encounter had been ‘haunting him.’

Shea also confirmed investigators believe the girls were alive when they entered the water. The location where the witness saw two girls was ‘a very short distance from the Hudson River,’ and such that they could have walked right in.

[SBM]

The New York Police Department is not ready to determine the official causes of death. Authorities are investigating whether the deaths were the result of suicide, homicide or an accident, said Phil Walzak, deputy commissioner for public information for the New York police. (BBM)

https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.cn...sters-new-york-hudson-river-friday/index.html

 

[borndem]

Brand new shelter that opened 10/19/18 in Brooklyn, NY. Safe haven: City’s first shelter for Muslim women and children fleeing abuse opens in Southern Brooklyn

Sounds like a great haven for Muslim women. I googled "female circumcision," and the source said that it may be practiced in southern SA, but it was unclear. That may be a part of seeking shelter for some, since it is being practiced in some areas in the general area. This would not be, IMO, a concern of our two women in a shelter, but I would think such a shelter would be helpful for this reason also.

Did the sisters have a specific reason to go to a shelter? We certainly should not find out from the shelter itself since it should be an anonymous and safe place for females.

This thing seems to get weirder and scarier by the minute, IMO. If they were hiding here -- why?? SMH.

 

[Inthedetails]

For anyone wondering what the area was like where they likely went into the water (assuming they entered the river near where the witness saw them praying): Google Maps

From what I understand, they were praying by a playground near 163rd and the river.

jmo

 

[Mouse]

It's interesting to me that at 22, she had a high enough credit limit to live in high end hotels, and survive in general, for almost two months in the city. A weeknight at the Knickerbocker can be at least $400.

Credit card companies will give college students an insane amount of credit on the theory that: A. college students often don't have enough life experience to use credit wisely, so they will use the hell out of their credit card and pay only the bare minimum (thereby racking up interest, which is where the companies make money); and B. if they do get into credit repayment trouble, their parents will bail them out. Of course, these things aren't necessarily true, but they're true often enough that credit card companies will give relatively high amounts of credit to college students much more easily than they did way back when I was in college (when no college student could get a credit card unless they had a job and a job history). It's also likely that, as a foreign student from a country known for its wealthy citizens (Saudi students studying abroad are generally quite wealthy), the one sister would be an especially attractive credit risk for a company.

Credit card companies are all over college campuses during the first couple of weeks of the semester, often luring students in by offering "premiums" like free ball caps or t-shirts or beer coolers for signing up for a card. It's horribly predatory and should be banned, but of course credit companies have the big lobbyist $$$. (Which is why the rules about soliciting customers on campus have been relaxed since I was in college back in the day.)

Didn't mean to get off-track about credit, but it doesn't actually surprise me that a college student and her sister could live it up on credit for a couple of months, probably spread out over several credit cards.

 

[borndem]

I made the same assumption about the shelter, and I think we're on the right trail now. Still, it's telling that they preferred the shelter to returning home. They did not want to go back to their family. jmo

I wonder if they were staying there until they heard about their asking for asylum, knowing their family would not approve of their request.

 

[kaen]

"A witness told police he saw the women in a park on West 158th Street in Upper Manhattan on the morning of Oct. 24, while he was out exercising. They were sitting about 30 feet apart with their heads in their hands and appeared to be praying, the witness said.

The bodies of Tala Farea, 16, and Rotana Farea, 22, were seen floating along the Hudson River that afternoon, police said.

The sisters, whose bodies were loosely bound together with duct tape, were found lying on rocks near the river, fully-clothed, both wearing black jackets with fur trim and black leggings. There were no obvious signs of trauma, and detectives believe the women were alive when they entered the water, according to police." from: Sisters found dead in Hudson River preferred suicide over returning to Saudi Arabia: Police originally appeared on abcnews.go.com

 

[Periwinkl3]

That's a funny statement. Of course it's credible that they entered the water alive. That is what happens with people who are murdered by drowning, and certainly no reason to rule out murder.

Suicide is no longer a crime in the City of New York.

 

[Inthedetails]

"A witness told police he saw the women in a park on West 158th Street in Upper Manhattan on the morning of Oct. 24, while he was out exercising. They were sitting about 30 feet apart with their heads in their hands and appeared to be praying, the witness said.

The bodies of Tala Farea, 16, and Rotana Farea, 22, were seen floating along the Hudson River that afternoon, police said.

The sisters, whose bodies were loosely bound together with duct tape, were found lying on rocks near the river, fully-clothed, both wearing black jackets with fur trim and black leggings. There were no obvious signs of trauma, and detectives believe the women were alive when they entered the water, according to police." from: Sisters found dead in Hudson River preferred suicide over returning to Saudi Arabia: Police originally appeared on abcnews.go.com

I thought the witness said 163rd St playground. If he saw them at 158th Street, you'll have to scroll down a bit on the map I posted above. There is an access route around 158th to the river. Either location makes sense - and the riverfront is all connected via the park anyway in that stretch.

So sad and errie to think of them walking into the river...and strange nobody saw them in the water (assuming they entered the water after the witness saw them at 7am).

jmo

 

[kaen]

So let me get this straight..... "NYPD confirms they have "documents" indicating the girls were abused" and they lived in a shelter to get away yet this is going to be ruled a suicide in 8 days of investigating? I don't feel comfortable about that.

The press conference officer says, "........reports that asylum was requested. We also There are reports of abuse involving family, this is not corroborated by us at this time, but there are reports of abuse between the father, the mother and the brother that has been brought to our attention...not in our jurisdiction... but sometime in the past." The girls did raise that they were victims of abuse--physical and other things that they would not mention.

Abuse may have been against the girls but it seems like it is also the brother in relation to the parents. This might be the only chance to get better information.

 

[borndem]

This is what I really like about this website, and that it has so many people all over the world that post what their local governments and or nations are publishing about an International Event. The different reporting is very enlightening from each area and thank you for everybody that is posting theirs!

I'll second that -- so many people with similar and different backgrounds, addresses, birthplaces, family situations, education, professions, ages, and so many other wonderful diversities make this site so intelligent, caring, and willing to "listen," learn, contribute, and broaden his/her own perspectives.

Hooray for all of us!! ​

 

[OneEye]

For anyone wondering what the area was like where they likely went into the water (assuming they entered the river near where the witness saw them praying): Google Maps

From what I understand, they were praying by a playground near 163rd and the river.

jmo

How did they get from W163rd to W68th?

 

[kaen]

NYPD press conference: Last seen by family November 30, 2017. Located in December 2017 and in a similar dv shelter. Stories about abuse came when they lived in facility. Left around Aug 24 and went to NY. Fear that they would be spirited back to VA. Police reports in VA? Unsure.

JMHO---- Maybe the credit cards were given to track them with an understanding that they would come back after having some freedom.

 

[Gardenista]

I agree that the issue is prevalent and deserving of more press coverage. I still cannot get over watching the NBC Today show clip yesterday and not one of the 4 individuals in the conversation group knew what an honour killing was and this INCLUDED Hoda Kotb (Hoda Kotb - Wikipedia) whose parents are BOTH from Egypt. Found this lack of basic knowledge stunning as were the looks on the faces of the group when the reporter on the story explained what was involved with an honour killing. Is this typical for morning TV in the US? I was surprised because NBC is a major network and I would have thought at least the producers might have briefed the group on KSA and related issues before the program aired. Guess that didn't happen.

IMO, each of them know exactly what it is.

 

[OneEye]

NYP Update:
https://nypost.com/2018/11/02/siste...cc=evening_update&mpweb=755-7415090-719837703

 

[kaen]

How did they get from W163rd to W68th?

The Hudson River is tidal. If tide was going out, they could have traveled a great distance south. The pull in the river at that point is very strong and really not swimmable for almost all people.

 

[OneEye]

IMO, each of them know exactly what it is.

You would think but the looks on their faces told a different story as they looked confused as to the connection between the sisters death and an honour killing. Hoda looked like if she could have pushed the escape to commerical button that she would have done it IMO but she didn't jump into the conversation at all either! Nobody looked comfortable in the segment and it ended quickly.

 

[Gardenista]

I just checked google images for Muslim women praying and none of them have their heads in their hands. Anybody know if there is some type of Muslim suicide prayer and they put their heads in their hands?

 

[OneEye]

The Hudson River is tidal. If tide was going out, they could have traveled a great distance south. The pull in the river at that point is very strong and really not swimmable for almost all people.

I realize that its tidal but 100 blocks/nearly a mile? The bodies were reported to be in good shape but the Hudson is full of debris and to get from that far north to W68th the bodies would have had to pass through the Boat Basin at W79th Street which extends out into the Hudson and also has many boats moored outside the dock area itself. I would doubt that the bodies could make it a mile, pass the basin and then show up where they were found with no signs of injury. If you do a quick google trip down that area of the Hudson you will see what I'm talking about in terms of the boat basin being a major obstacle to a smooth path south.

 

[dixiegirl1035]

Suicide. IMO. The sisters had run away in Dec. 2017, returned to a shelter (with or without their mother??). Day before they were found deceased, their mother, who appears to not have been with them, called them (spoke with them) and told them that she was ordered by Saudi Consulate to return home to Saudi Arabia. The sisters did not want to return, and we know this from their asylum request.

News reports tell us that the sisters were alive when they went into the water, so the cause of death will be found to be drowning.

Taped themselves together at the waist and feet to prevent being able to get out of water alive.

What I find so thought-provoking about this site, is a post that has information and comes to a 100% conclusion, and I think the 100% opposite conclusion based on the post. Thank you for your post. But I think what you stated in the post is 100% different than what your conclusion is.

 

[OneEye]

I just checked google images for Muslim women praying and none of them have their heads in their hands. Anybody know if there is some type of Muslim suicide prayer and they put their heads in their hands?

They might have been preparing for death as there are a number of death specific prayers and rituals:
http://christicenter.org/2013/03/islamic-rituals-dying-deceased/