Wash. parents allegedly choked teen daughter in attempted honor killing because she refused marriage

LACEY, Wash. (TCN) -- A married couple is facing multiple charges for allegedly attacking their 17-year-old daughter outside of her high school in what is believed to be an attempted honor killing because she refused an arranged marriage.

According to KOMO-TV, on Oct. 18, the victim reportedly went to her school for help after her parents, Ihsan Ali and Zahraa Ali, allegedly threatened to kill her because she rejected their plan of an arranged marriage to an older man in another country. She reportedly rushed into the school yelling, "My dad was trying to kill me. He was trying to kill me." The school went on lockdown as teachers and staff tried to protect the teen, but Ihsan Ali and Zahraa Ali confronted the girl outside.

Court records cited by KOMO allege Ihsan Ali choked the teen "to the point where she had lost consciousness." Witnesses, including the victim’s boyfriend, reportedly tried to help her, but Ihsan Ali punched the boyfriend.

The boyfriend’s father told KCPQ-TV that his son was "fighting for the girl’s life."

The dad described, "Her arms go limp. She’s no longer moving. He starts to see her eyes roll back, and her arms start flailing and that’s when he sprung into action because he didn’t want to see someone he cared about pass away."

The victim was reportedly scheduled to fly to Iraq for her arranged marriage the same day her parents attacked her at school. She was trying to make her way to a shelter when the altercation occurred.

Once the teen was "dragged out of the headlock," her mother, Zahraa Ali, allegedly started assaulting her. The victim’s boyfriend "was able to grab her and take her away from mom."

KOMO reports the boyfriend’s father got a temporary restraining order against Zahraa Ali because she reportedly regularly went to his house to look for her daughter. The school also prevented Zahraa Ali from entering the grounds.

Thurston County Jail records show Zahraa Ali was arrested Oct. 23 on charges of second-degree domestic violence assault, attempted second-degree murder, burglary, attempted second-degree kidnapping, attempted first-degree kidnapping, and violation of a protection order. Ihsan Ali was booked Nov. 5 for attempted second-degree murder, attempted second-degree kidnapping, attempted first-degree kidnapping, fourth-degree assault, and second-degree domestic violence assault.

North Thurston Public Schools told KOMO in a statement, "We work with families, staff, and law enforcement partners to maintain safety and security on our campuses, and we take student and staff safety extremely seriously. When unique situations arise, we work with concerned parties to provide a safe learning environment, and we are doing so in this case."

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