1/8/2008
Aunt: This was an honor killing
Sarah and Amina’s mother Patricia says goodbye to her young luminous daughters with pink flowers in their hair at the Rahma Funeral Home. COURTNEY PERRY/DMN
Their Christian funeral service Saturday – followed by a Muslim service later in the day – served as a reminder of the promise their short lives held and the needless tragedy of their deaths. Police believe they were killed by their father, a 50-year-old cabdriver.
Sadly, there with a visible police presence; a reminder that their Egyptian-born father, Yaser Abdel Said, is still at large.
The girls’ great Aunt spoke with journalists, relaying that Mr. Said had been abusing them for two years, and their mother left with the girls after he found out they had boyfriends and threatened to kill them.
“She ran with them because she knew he would carry out the threat,” Ms. Gartrell, the girls’ great Aunt said. “This was an honor killing.”
The girls were buried in a muslim cemetery, because in Islam, the children inherit their religion from their father.
Of course, two years is a very short time. In some countries, the child abuse starts from when they’re very young, like this little girl in Moracco. Even their holy men get into the act. How dare she step on the prayer rug!
Meatbrain is right…why should anyone object? It’s their religion.
January 8th, 2008 at 9:15 am
Dear Cao,
I tremendously enjoyed reading through your blog. And I am asking for your kind permission to republish this post (pictures included) on my blog, Fantasia’s World. Thanks.
January 8th, 2008 at 3:30 pm
I can’t begin to say what I am feeling when I see this, but I am wishing these girls had been armed and their father was being carried in the wooden coffin. How pathetic that he is still a fugitive. I would like to see him in a jail cell forever, and everyday wake with the realization that he is there because what he did was cowardly and wrong!!!
January 8th, 2008 at 7:21 pm
Yes, go ahead, Fantasia.
Some say he’s hiding in the neighborhood, but I am more inclined to believe he went back to Egypt where this is acceptable.
January 8th, 2008 at 8:31 pm
To one with a highly experienced eye, it is obvious the murders of the beautiful Said sisters of suburban Dallas were dishonor killings.
Ellen R. Sheeley, Author
“Reclaiming Honor in Jordan”
October 17th, 2008 at 1:46 am
And when he dies, gets killed or blows himself up, he will get 72 virgins. Wait until he finds out they are male camels.