Saudi Sisters' Cause Of Death Officially Ruled Suicide

UPPER WEST SIDE, NY — The official cause of death for two Saudi Arabian sisters discovered bound together on the shores of the Hudson River is suicide by drowning, New York City's medical examiner announced Tuesday.

The bodies of Rotana Farea, 23, and Tala Farea, 16, bodies were found Oct. 24 on the banks of the Hudson River near West 68th Street and Riverside Park. The bodies had been tied together with duct tape, which NYPD officials described in November as "keeping them together" rather than "bound tightly."

"Today, my office determined that the death of the Farea sisters was the result of suicide, in which the young women bound themselves together before descending into the Hudson River," Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Barbara Sampson said in a statement.

Rotana and Tala Farea arrived in New York City on Sept. 1 after fleeing a "shelter-like facility" where they had stayed for nearly eight months after leaving their Virginia family home, NYPD Chief of Detectives Dermott Shea said in November. The sisters were last seen by their family on Nov. 30, 2017 and were not returned to their home after alleging family abuse, NYPD officials said.

While in New York, the sisters stayed at "high end" hotels, ordered meals and went shopping, Shea said. Police believe that the cards the sisters were using to fund their stay were running out of money, Shea said.

Both sisters appeared to be in good health while they stayed in the city, Shea said.

The mother of Tala and Rotana Farea told investigators that Saudi diplomatic officials informed her that the sisters applied for political asylum, the Associated Press reported. A Saudi official called the mother the day before the sisters were found dead to inform her that the family had been ordered to leave the United States due to the asylum request, according to the report.

If you you are in crisis and thinking of harming yourself please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting TALK to 741741.

Photo by NYPD