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

[Shlock Homes]

Wait a minute, hold up.....if they didn't have a problem at home, why did they choose to live in a shelter, as opposed to at home?

And didn't Mom say she hadn't spoken to them in months? Or am I imaging that?

Everything about the story is strange. And how did she identify them from those drawings, which look nothing like their pictures. If she hadn't seen them for months, maybe they changed their hair in the meantime.
I think they were living in a non-(strict)muslim fashion until the time they died, judging from the short, styled hair cuts, and the clothing they were described as wearing.

 

[Inthedetails]

Family of Saudi sisters found dead in New York denies suicide reports
"ABC News and other news outlets reported that the working theory of investigators is that the sisters wanted to take their own lives and so taped themselves together and jumped into the water. The family denies this suggestion, saying that the girls were happy, had no problems at home and were afraid of water."




Wait a minute, hold up.....if they didn't have a problem at home, why did they choose to live in a shelter, as opposed to at home?

And didn't Mom say she hadn't spoken to them in months? Or am I imaging that?

Right. With respect to a grieving mother, I do find her an unreliable source of info. If they were happy and without problems at home, they wouldn't chose to live in a shelter. Sure looks like they were trying to cut ties with their family. jmo

 

[madamx]

If someone has posted this already I apologize.

But this is first I hear of them in Washington accompanying their brother? Accompanying him to do what?

So basically he went to Washington and they followed?? Did he go for political asylum also?
Did he live in Washington?
Well the Iam assuming then the Brother was then in contact with them and knew what was going on no?

I wonder how many days was it from the time they went to Washington with their Brother until the Time they were found in NY.

-----------------------

The day before the bodies were discovered on 24 October, the sisters’ mother told detectives that she had received a call from an official at the Saudi Arabian embassy in Washington, ordering the family to leave the US because her daughters had applied for political asylum, New York police said on Tuesday.

It added that the sisters were students “accompanying their brother in Washington”.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.th...te-deaths-saudi-arabia-sisters-bound-together

 

[bears10]

I see. It seems logical to assume they feared they were in danger because they opted to live in a shelter rather than return home. I agree that seems like a logical assumption, but it is an assumption not a fact. (Maybe they just didn't want to live with their family anymore, but were not in fear of their lives either.)

But they certainly were serious about not wanting to return home. Most people would not chose to live in a shelter if it could be avoided.

jmo

Not OP but I remember reading somewhere that they were afraid to return home bc they feared they were in danger. I’ll look for the article. Who knows if it is even reliable anyway

 

[madamx]

Now that they released what look like passport or government issued document photos of the two sisters, does anyone find it strange the sketches looked nothing like them? And how could they have been identified by their mother (I believe they've said she did) if the sketches looked so different?

I agree Shlock Homes!! Yeah something not right. Seriously the sketches looked NOTHING like the girls.

 

[borndem]

I really just swallowed what it means to conclude two SISTERS, both young women, reported to have committed SUICIDE. Meaning- together they both voluntarily took their lives, not a murder/suicide, which involves, well...one homicide....both decide they don’t want to live... both agreee in some major capacity to bind themselves and fall/jump.

So I’m not so concerned that this case will drop of the radar after hastily being written off as a suicide, I’m more concerned that we have two sisters, together, deciding that they were better off ending it all, and LE/DA’s office is comfortable enough with that as the end of the story. Seriously....how many sister suicide pacts are you aware of? Even if you can recall such an instance, was there not a tragic story to uncover behind their reasons? If not down right illegal or violent or extremely abusive incidents apparent. The odds of two sisters having two largely separate reasons to want to end their lives, would be close to zero, right? So what warped scenario or perfect set of circumstances would have to line up in that case? My point being, this happening is rare enough (2 suicidal sisters), but for their own very different reasons? Don’t buy it.

Something happened in these girls’ lives that was commonly shared, experienced, suffered, etc by both. That’s what needs to be investigated if it is indeeed a double voluntary suicide. Because the story doesn’t end there.

Good and thoughtful post. If it does turn out to be a double suicide as found by investigators, psychiatrists, good friends, a note, or whatever seems to support something so tuff to believe, I'll admit that my rejection of that possibility was wrong. And if it is said to be truly double-suicide, I'm betting we will never hear the "why" of it. SMH.
Whatever it turns out to have been, will be an awful thing.

 

[OTPTarheel2018]

Detectives are using credit card info to track final days of dead Saudi sisters found duct-taped together in Riverside Park - NY Daily News

My apologies if already posted.

JMO

 

[inmyhumbleopinion]

Detectives are using credit card info to track final days of dead Saudi sisters found duct-taped together in Riverside Park - NY Daily News

My apologies if already posted.

JMO

So did they purchase any duct tape identical to the type they found on the sisters’ bodies? That would be my first question (but then they could have used cash, too).

Hopefully, they will be able to figure it out.

ETA: I get the sense that the mom was sympathetic to her daughters. To what degree, I’m not sure. But there was only so much that she could do to help them with her husband being her guardian and all.

 

[Inthedetails]

So did they purchase any duct tape identical to the type they found on the sisters’ bodies? That would be my first question (but then they could have used cash, too).

Hopefully, they will be able to figure it out.

Great question.

 

[borndem]

Maybe there was the possibility that they will have to go back to SA? Permits to live in the US denied? I could see that being a devastating prospect for two young women.

Hmmmm -- interesting thought, @Elainera. Sad thought, too. I wonder how long the family has been in the US. Did the sisters come here with the rest of the family/at the same time? And yours is a good question about the possibility of the sisters having to go back to SA.

 

[bears10]

Hmmmm -- interesting thought, @Elainera. Sad thought, too. I wonder how long the family has been in the US. Did the sisters come here with the rest of the family/at the same time? And yours is a good question about the possibility of the sisters having to go back to SA.

The mom, sisters, and brother came in 2015.

 

[Inthedetails]

delete

 

[borndem]

So I have to ask...they were bound face to face and yet it says that one was on top of the other in a cross formation. I wonder how tightly bound together they were at the waist, whether lightly or firmly, as to have no space between them...could the tide have loosened the tape from itself and their clothes that much to deposit them that way? Also, it doesn’t seem exactly comfortable to be bound that close together. If the psychology regarding undue discomfort or pain during suicide is true in this case, wouldn’t they avoid that level of discomfort during it all?

I can understand the binding (somewhat, if their arms/hands were under the tape) to make sure one or both couldn’t back out..if their hands were free they could have attempted to rip the tape off and escape. To have done it themselves their hands would have had to been left free, no? If someone else ‘helped’, maliciously or otherwise, hands would have likely been under the tape if they were standing straight with their arms at their sides unless they were hugging each other? Otherwise maybe it was a comfort thing to be so close to a person they truly loved as they breathed their last?

I don’t know why this calls Rebecca Zahau back to me...maybe the unorthodox way they did it? Does anyone know the stats on drowning suicides in females? My mind just boggles and I’ve been chewing on this post for a full day. My apologies for being so rambly.

Following this with intense interest....

WRT why their bodies were cross-positioned could be that one or probably both of them struggled trying not to drown. Whether it was a suicide attempt or not, there would be a natural struggle in a living thing to do its best to survive. It could be the struggling that twisted their bodies into that cross positioning.
Oh, this is a tuff one. I've never seen something like this before -- and I feel sure that this is new to most, if not all, of us.

 

[bears10]

@K_Z Do you know why only Rotana has her head covered in her passport photo and not tala? Do minors not need to cover themselves? Just curious and figured you’d be best to ask.

 

[bears10]

I’m

I see. It seems logical to assume they feared they were in danger because they opted to live in a shelter rather than return home. I agree that seems like a logical assumption, but it is an assumption not a fact. (Maybe they just didn't want to live with their family anymore, but were not in fear of their lives either.)

But they certainly were serious about not wanting to return home. Most people would not chose to live in a shelter if it could be avoided.

jmo

When the local police located the sisters, they asked for protection and were placed in a shelter, the police said.

Ok I think this is what I read regarding the shelter and danger. It didn’t say danger, my bad. But it said they asked for protection. in my head I translated that as they were in danger, otherwise why would they need protection from their family? I may have misinterpreted, and again, who knows what’s accurate or not in this case.

2 Sisters Were Found Dead in the River, Duct-Taped Together. Police Have Few Answers.

 

[bears10]

Do we have any social workers on the thread? Or anyone who can help me understand under what circumstances would a minor be allowed to go with her adult sister to a shelter as opposed to being returned to her parents?

 

[borndem]

Because there's no such thing as proofreading anymore.

You are absolutely korrect er correck, er, yeah that.
Seriously, you are absolutely correct -- it's no wonder that people get confused because media reports vary. Rush, rush, rush. Be the first to report it -- that's what we've got here. I'm sure it drives LE nuts. I hope we will find a good reliable report on these poor women.

 

[kaen]

Do we have any social workers on the thread? Or anyone who can help me understand under what circumstances would a minor be allowed to go with her adult sister to a shelter as opposed to being returned to her parents?

I am a counselor, not a social worker. I work with teens and have had many who leave home for a period of time-- ending up with friends, couch surfing, teen shelters or staying with relatives. This might help.... go to page 14.....

https://www.americanbar.org/content...ecenter/runaway_2003_revised.authcheckdam.pdf

 

[kaen]

I’m



Ok I think this is what I read regarding the shelter and danger. It didn’t say danger, my bad. But it said they asked for protection. in my head I translated that as they were in danger, otherwise why would they need protection from their family? I may have misinterpreted, and again, who knows what’s accurate or not in this case.

2 Sisters Were Found Dead in the River, Duct-Taped Together. Police Have Few Answers.

Teens can ask for an alternate placement or other interventions before they are forcibly returned home. Usually when teens are trying to leave home, the dynamic can be volatile or not conducive to a simple returning. There are emergency shelters just for teens in many areas of the country, especially cities. The police and social services recognize that if a child is forcibly returned chances are they will run away again. Each time a teen goes on the run, the situation gets more desperate--- they seek to hide better, look to make money in any way they can to get further away, or make choices that can be progressively destructive (befriending an older companions, doing drugs, or getting tricked into trafficking scenarios). More often than not police and social services are very good at helping parents understand that a little distance can help in the ultimate reunification, especially if counseling and mediation-type meetings are part of the process. Building trust and creating a pathway home while addressing the issues that are present are achievable if all parties are invested. My experience is that most teens really want to be home but the relationship issues do need to be addressed.

 

[K_Z]

Police tracking activity of Saudi sisters in NYC before they were found dead in river

Then later in the article it says it’s unclear when the girls arrived in NY. Smh. I’ve never been so frustrated with reporting of a case in my life.

With that travel itinerary laid out, I have to wonder if they took the Acela (amtrak corridor) from D.C. to Philly to NYC. If so, there may be ticket records/ transactions from Union Station embarking that can be discovered, to pin point their travel better.

They could have taken regular D.C. metro (rail and/ or bus) to get from Alexandria/ Fairfax to Union Station. It might be harder to track if they took metro bus or rail to Union Station-- easier to buy anonymous tickets from a vending machine. (Or, they could have had a pass of some kind.)

Or if they used something like Lyft/ Uber-- there would be more records to mine.

Just musing on the possible travel itinerary. Acela was first thing I thought of when I saw "D.C. - Philly - NYC" in the article.