The largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization in the United States is calling for hate crime charges to be brought against a Texas woman who has been accused of attempting to drown a three-year-old Palestinian-American girl. The suspect, 42-year-old Elizabeth Wolf, has been booked on charges of attempted murder and injury to a child following an incident at an apartment complex swimming pool in Euless, Texas.
On 19 May, police were called to the scene where witnesses reported that a highly intoxicated woman had tried to drown a child and had argued with the child’s mother. The mother, who was wearing a hijab and modest swimwear, was watching her children play in the shallow end of the pool when Wolf approached her. Wolf questioned the mother’s nationality and made derogatory statements about her Americanness before attempting to drown the children.
The mother’s six-year-old son was able to escape, but her three-year-old daughter was not as fortunate. Wolf allegedly pulled off the mother’s headscarf and used it to beat her, while also kicking her and forcing the daughter’s head underwater. A bystander intervened to rescue the three-year-old, who was coughing up water and in distress.
Following the incident, Wolf reportedly made threats to kill the mother and her family. The mother, identified as Mrs. H, expressed her fear and trauma, stating that she and her children, originally from Palestine, no longer feel safe. The family is facing emotional turmoil, with the daughter exhibiting signs of trauma and the husband’s employment being jeopardized due to the need to accompany his family to appointments and errands.
The case has sparked outrage within the American Islamic community, particularly as anti-Muslim and Arab sentiments have been on the rise amid the conflict in Gaza. The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) is calling for a hate crime investigation, higher bail bond, and dialogue with officials to address the escalating Islamophobia, anti-Arab, and anti-Palestinian sentiments.
State representative Salman Bhojani condemned the incident, emphasizing that hate has no place in society. The case is reminiscent of a similar hate crime where a six-year-old Muslim boy was stabbed to death in Illinois shortly after the conflict in Gaza began. Advocacy groups have reported a significant increase in anti-Arab and anti-Muslim incidents, highlighting the urgent need to address and combat bigotry and discrimination in all forms.