Saudi sisters found dead in N.Y. said they’d ‘harm’ themselves rather than return to country

NEW YORK — Police say two Saudi Arabian sisters whose bodies washed up on New York City’s waterfront told people they would rather harm themselves than return to their home country.

The bodies of 16-year-old Tala Farea and 23-year-old Rotana Farea were discovered Oct. 24 in the Hudson River.

READ MORE: NYPD investigating deaths of immigrant Saudi sisters, found washed up and bound together

They were bound together with tape, but Chief of Detectives Dermot Shea said Friday investigators found no evidence they were attacked.

Investigators say the sisters traveled from Virginia and stayed at expensive hotels in the days before they died.

WATCH: NYPD provide update on Saudi sisters’ death investigation 

0:59 Saudi sisters were placed in a facility of domestic violence: NYPD

• Saudi sisters were placed in a facility of domestic violence: NYPD
• ‘Everything pointing to…other than a crime taking place’: NYPD on Saudi sisters
• NYPD says Saudi sisters did not appear in distress, credit card maxed
• NYPD knock down rumors in media over Saudi sisters deaths
• Saudi sisters found dead in NYC had been in U.S. for 2-3 years

Previous Video

Next Video

A witness told police he saw the sisters praying near the river before their bodies were found.

Shea said the sisters told people in Virginia they would “rather inflict harm on themselves” than return to Saudi Arabia.

He wouldn’t say whether the sisters died by suicide.