CAIR calls for state, federal investigation of alleged Euless hate crime
EULESS — The Council on American-Islamic Relations are calling on state and federal authorities to investigate what happened at a Euless apartment complex as a hate crime.
42-year-old Elizabeth Wolf is accused of attempting to drown a three-year-old girl in an apartment pool after making racist remarks to her mother in May.
A Palestinian mother who wears a hijab, which is an Islamic head scarf, told investigators in May that Wolf made racially charged remarks towards her at the complex's swimming pool and then tried to drown her six-year-old son and three-year-old daughter.
The mother has not released her name at this time as she fears for her safety.
Wolf was arrested at the time of the incident for public intoxication, and later charged with attempted capital murder, and injury to a child. Wolf bailed out of jail in one day.
In the press conference Saturday, CAIR said the family is traumatized, and started a GoFundMe page for them.
CAIR DFW chapter executive director Mustafaa Carroll says the organization would like to see certain actions taken by state and federal investigators in this case.
"We ask for a hate crime probe, a higher bail bond, and an open conversation with officials to address this alarming increase in Islamophobia," Carroll said.
Carroll read a statement from the mother at the press conference.
"My daughter is traumatized," wrote the mother. "Whenever I open the apartment door, she runs away and hides, telling me she is afraid the lady will come in immerse her head in the water again."
The non-profit organization says they helped the family get counseling.
"Emotionally, they are torn apart. I actually tried to see if they could come today, and they are afraid to even be seen in public. They are really struggling a lot," Carroll read.
Democratic State Representative Salma Bhojani represents part of Euless and immigrated to the United States from Pakistan as a teenager.
"Hate against one community is hate against all of us," Bhojani said. "I'm shocked and appalled by this alleged racist, Islamophobic occurrence that took place in my town. Hate has no place in Euless."
Euless Police said this is an open investigation. Anyone who witnessed what happened is asked to give them a call.
Investigators believe racial bias is part of the case and have referred it to the Tarrant County District Attorney.