Article Summary –
A Texas woman is facing an attempted murder charge for allegedly trying to drown a 3-year-old Muslim girl of Palestinian origin in a swimming pool, in an incident police have recommended be treated as a hate crime. The suspect, Elizabeth Wolf, purportedly made racial statements and questioned the mother of the children about her origin, before trying to grab both children, forcing the younger one underwater. The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) is calling for a hate crime investigation into the incident, which comes amidst a reported increase in anti-Muslim incidents in the US.
Texas Woman Charged with Attempted Murder and Possible Hate Crime
A Texas woman is facing attempted murder charges following an incident in which she allegedly tried to drown a 3-year-old Palestinian Muslim girl in a swimming pool, an act police are urging be considered a hate crime.
Details of the Incident
The accused, Elizabeth Wolf, is said to have made racial remarks against the child’s mother, stating she was not an American. According to the Euless Police Department, Wolf targeted both of the mother’s children in the incident last month. The incident took place in a swimming pool at an apartment complex in Euless, a Dallas and Fort Worth suburb, on May 19. Wolf questioned the mother about her origin and the ownership of her kids playing at the pool, the police added.
The Attack on Kids
The mother told the police that Wolf tried to grab her 6-year-old son, who managed to escape with a minor scratch. However, while helping her son, Wolf grabbed the 3-year-old daughter and forced her underwater. The mother was able to rescue her daughter who was seen coughing up water and yelling for help. Both children were medically cleared by medics on the scene.
Charges Against Elizabeth Wolf
Wolf was initially arrested on charges of public intoxication. She was later charged with child injury for allegedly hurting the 6-year-old boy. Information about her legal representation was not immediately available.
Call for Hate Crime Probe
The Texas chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) called for investigators to open a hate-crime probe during a news conference. The mother expressed fear for her safety, stating that she and her family were facing hatred both in Gaza and the US.
Increasing Prejudice Against Muslims and Jews
After the deadly Oct. 7 attack by Hamas and subsequent Israel-Gaza war, incidents of prejudice against Muslims and Jews have spiked across the US, rights groups reported. Federal statistics also show a rise in hate crimes against both groups prior to the war. The link between this rise and the Euless incident remains unclear.
Reactions
Shaimaa Zayan, CAIR-Austin operations manager, condemned the bigotry displayed in the incident. Salman Bhojani, a Texas state representative, also expressed his disapproval of hate, thanking the Euless Police Department for quickly apprehending Wolf and offered his services to the affected family.
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