A teenager, who narrowly escaped an attempted “honor killing” by her parents, faced a difficult moment in a Washington courtroom on Monday as she was sentenced in connection with the harrowing incident, which was recorded on video.
Before the ruling, the young girl addressed her parents, Isan and Zafra Ali, in an emotional statement. Her parents are accused of trying to kill her back in October 2024 when she was just 17 years old. She told her father, “You’re a monster. I can’t believe you’re my dad. How can you call yourself a father when you tried to kill me? You tried to take my life with your own hands.”
She then turned to her mother, expressing her disappointment, stating, “My mother saw that I almost died and didn’t do anything to help.”
The troubling events began after the victim fled her home, fearing her father’s threats of an “honor killing” due to her refusal to marry an older man from another country. It all came to a head on a day in October, when, after seeking assistance at Timberline High School in Lacey County, the girl’s family tracked her down.
According to reports, the school counselor managed to help her find a “safe haven.” But while she was waiting for a bus, her father approached her, leading to a confrontation where he allegedly assaulted her. The teenager claimed that during the attack, she couldn’t breathe and felt as though she was losing consciousness.
During the sentencing, Judge Christine Schaller emphasized the gravity of the attack, suggesting that if the victim had not escaped, she might not have survived. The court found the parents guilty on lesser charges related to their actions; her father faced a conviction for assault and unlawful imprisonment, while her mother was found guilty of violating a restraining order.
Isan Ali received a 20-month prison sentence, and his wife was sentenced to nearly a year. In addition, the court ruled that Isan Ali must not contact his daughter for the next ten years.
