An American court has sentenced a Texas woman to five years in prison for attempting to drown a 3-year-old Palestinian-American Muslim girl, in an incident that occurred in May 2024. Local police described the attack as motivated by bias and racism.
According to court records, Judge Andy Porter handed down the sentence to Elizabeth Wolf, 43, after she pleaded guilty to attempted murder and assault. Authorities charged Wolf last year following the attack, which was publicly condemned by then-President Joe Biden.
Human rights advocates have warned of growing threats against Arab, Muslim, and Jewish Americans since the start of the Israeli war on Gaza on October 7, 2023.
Hate Attack at Texas Pool Highlights Rising Anti-Muslim Violence
The attack took place at a swimming pool in an apartment complex in Euless, Texas, where the woman attempted to drown the girl and also grabbed her 7-year-old brother, engaging in a confrontation with their mother after discovering their Palestinian background.
Police reports confirmed that the mother successfully pulled her daughter out of the water, and paramedics later verified the safety of both children.
This attack comes amid a series of recent hate-motivated incidents that have raised alarm over growing anti-Muslim sentiment in the U.S., including:
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The brutal stabbing of a 6-year-old Palestinian-American boy in Illinois.
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A stabbing attack targeting another Palestinian-American in Texas.
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A violent assault on pro-Palestinian demonstrators in California.
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A shooting in Florida in which two Israelis were targeted after being mistaken for Palestinians.
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Mob attacks in New York, where pro-Israel crowds reportedly chanted “Death to Arabs.”
Lenient Sentence Draws Criticism
The Council on American-Islamic Relations in Texas (CAIR-TX) welcomed Wolf’s guilty plea but expressed disappointment over what it called a “relatively lenient” sentence.
CAIR-TX explained that Wolf admitted guilt last week to attempting to murder a child and injure another. Her crime was motivated by the mother’s religion, spoken language, and ethnicity, yet she received only a five-year sentence, including time already served in jail.
Mustafaa Carroll, Executive Director of CAIR-TX, stated:“It is unimaginable that someone would attempt to drown a small girl out of hatred for her religion and ethnicity. While we are concerned about the light sentence given the severity of this crime against children, we welcome the guilty plea as an important step toward justice for the family. This kind of crime cannot be tolerated, and perpetrators must be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. One wonders what the outcome would have been if the roles were reversed.”
Shaimaa Zayan, CAIR Austin Operations Director, added:“The family is relieved to close this painful chapter and begin their healing journey. However, I am deeply disappointed by the inadequate five-year sentence handed to a woman who admitted to a hate-motivated crime targeting the mother’s faith, ethnicity, and language.
This ruling sends a troubling message that violent hate crimes committed in broad daylight against our most vulnerable are met with minimal accountability. It neither reflects the trauma inflicted nor deters future hate attacks against Muslim, Arab, and Palestinian communities.”