Drowned sisters found duct-taped together in Hudson River had maxed out their credit cards at NYC Hyatt and Hilton, said they would rather die than return to Saudi Arabia and were seen praying just before their bodies were found
- Tala and Rotana Farea had arrived in New York City on September 1 and maxed out their credit cards staying in luxury hotels police revealed on Friday
- The two were found taped together on the shore of the Hudson River on october 24, with no signs of foul play and no evidence they jumped from a high point
- Tala, 16, and Rotana, 22, were seen praying in a park on 158th street, a few miles upstreams from where there were bodies were found on October 24
- Police are looking into reports that the two had stated they would rather die than return to Saudi Arabia and applied for political asylum prior to their death
- Their mother has claimed that she was informed by the Saudi consulate on October 23 that the family must return home, but an official disputes that
New information has emerged about the two sisters who were found taped together on the shore of the Hudson River.
NYPD Chief of Detectives Dermot Shea revealed during a press conference on Friday that sisters Tala and Rotana Farea had been in New York City for close to two months prior to their death, arriving on September 1 and staying at a Hyatt and Hilton in the city.
They were in good health according to surveillance footage reviewed by the detectives, but had run into financial troubles as their credit cards began to reach their limit.
Things changed however in the days before their death.
Tala, 16, and Rotana, 22, had reportedly applied for political asylum a week before their bodies were discovered, and had stated a desire to take their own lives rather than return to Saudi Arabia.
‘We also have the sources that the detectives have developed from this investigation thus far; statements made that they would rather inflict harm on themselves and commit suicide than return to Saudi Arabia,’ said Detective Shea.
He also noted: ‘Everything we have seen thus far is pointing to something other than a crime took place.’
New details: Tala (left) and Rotana Farea (right) had arrived in New York City on September 1 and maxed out their credit cards staying in luxury hotels police revealed on Friday
Bodybag: The two were found taped together on the shore of the Hudson River on October 24, with no signs of foul play and no evidence they jumped from a high point
On October 23, one day before their death, their mother claims that she received a call from the Saudi consulate ordering the family to return home.
That claim was shot down by a Saudi official however who said that the mother was contacted about expired immigration documents.
DailyMail.com called the number where the girls’ mother is believe to live and was told by an individual answering the found that no one wished to speak.
-
‘Slit the dog’s throat!’ 911 dispatcher’s harrowing…
Playboy James Rackover is found GUILTY of murdering man and…
Share this article
Meanwhile, a witness has come forward and revealed that he believes he saw the two women praying in a park on 158th Street on the morning of October 24, just a few miles upstream from where their bodies were found later that day.
Police said that credit card records show Tala and Rotana first stopped in Washington, D.C. and then Philadelphia before arriving in Manhattan.
The sisters were last seen in Fairfax on August 24, but had not been living at home since November of 2017 after reportedly being abused by their mother, father and brother.
Those allegations have not been corroborated, but they do make it unclear who would have reported the girls missing on September 12 in Fairfax.
Police said there were no signs of trauma and it appeared that they were alive when they went into the water.
It was also noted that the girls were loosely taped together and did not appear to have jumped from a great height prior to entering the water.
The New York Police Department said there is no evidence the sisters went anywhere else after arriving in New York, and took various forms of transportation while making their way to the city.
Once in New York City, the sisters did the same things that most girls their age would do in the city, going out shopping and ordering two meals a day.
They also used Ubers to travel around the city.
Both girls had been in contact with their mother despite fleeing home a year ago, at which point they went to live at a shelter.
Tala had attended Fairfax High School for part of the 2017-18 school year while her older sister was enrolled at nearby George Mason University.
It is not known what prompted the girls to leave Fairfax however, and set off for New York,
Source: Read Full Article