Beverly Couple Accused Of Beating Daughter

BEVERLY, MA — An Essex County grand jury handed down indictments against a Beverly couple accused of beating and threatening to strangle their 14-year-old daughter.

Hadi S. Jabbar, 46, and Ruqaya Al Jumaili, 40, will be arraigned Aug. 11 in Salem Superior Court. Jabbar, who is being held on $50,000 bail, is charged with assault and battery on a household member, strangulation or suffocation, and threats to commit murder. Jumaili, who is free on bail, is charged with assault and battery on a household member and strangulation or suffocation.

The state took custody of the couple's children after their arrest in February. The couple had originally been ordered held without bail, but that order was rescinded once their children were in state custody.

The girl told police her father dragged her to a balcony and threatened to throw her off. She said he dragged her back into the home and punched her repeatedly while her mother held her down by the throat. She said he also pressed his thumbs into her eye sockets and ripped hair from her head.

The indictments against the couple, who fled to the U.S. from Iraq as refugees nearly five years ago, was handed down in late June.

Dave Copeland covers Beverly and other North Shore communities for Patch. He can be reached at dave.copeland@patch.com or by calling 617-433-7851. Follow him on Twitter (@CopeWrites) and Facebook (/copewrites).