Euless, TX – President Joe Biden expressed his dismay over an incident involving the alleged attempted drowning of a 3-year-old Palestinian-American girl at a Texas pool, highlighting concerns over violence targeting children based on religious and cultural identities.
Biden, voicing his concern on the social media platform X, condemned the attack, stating, “No child should ever be subjected to a violent attack, and my heart goes out to the family.” His remarks stem from an event that occurred in a neighborhood pool in Euless, where tempers allegedly flared into violence.
Authorities identified the suspect as 42-year-old Elizabeth Wolf, who on May 19 was charged following the May 18 incident. According to the police, Wolf confronted a Palestinian-American woman, who was accompanied by her two children, reportedly questioning the woman about her origins and then displaying aggressive behavior.
The conflict escalated quickly at the poolside. Wolf allegedly tried to seize the woman’s 6-year-old son, who managed to escape. However, the situation worsened when Wolf reportedly grabbed the 3-year-old daughter and forcefully submerged her in the water. Immediate intervention by the mother rescued the child, who was reportedly coughing up water and crying for help.
Witness accounts and police reports suggest that Wolf appeared to be intoxicated during the incident and directed racist insults towards the family. The accounts include allegations that the assailant tried to pull off the mother’s hijab, using it against her during the assault.
The mother, identified only as Mrs. H, shared her concerns following the incident, noting both her personal sense of insecurity and the trauma experienced by her daughter. She highlighted the broader context of fear and hostility that her family faces, correlating it with broader political strife. “We are American citizens originally from Palestine, and I don’t know where to feel safe with my kids,” she explained.
Further complicating the incident, reports emerged that Wolf also assaulted Mrs. H with her headscarf while she attempted to save her daughter. These elements of the altercation prompted the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) to urge for an investigation into the case as a potential hate crime.
Speaking on the matter, Shaimaa Zayan, operations manager for CAIR’s Austin chapter, emphasized the severity and targeted nature of the incident. Zayan described the attack as indicative of a dangerous level of bigotry where “a person deeply believes they get to decide, based on religion, spoken language, and country of origin whose kids deserve to stay alive and whose don’t.”
In addition to attempted capital murder, Wolf faces charges of injury to a child and public intoxication. The legal process is ongoing, with the case drawing local and national attention amid growing concerns over hate crimes and the safety of minority communities.
This incident has resonated across communities, stirring discussions about intolerance and violence related to ethnic and religious identities in the United States. It underscores a vital societal challenge in addressing hate crimes and ensuring safety and equality for all Americans, irrespective of their heritage.