A Muslim Teen Was Assaulted and Killed After Leaving Mosque

Updated on June 20, 2017 at 10:00 PM

Early Sunday morning, remains thought to be those of a teenage Muslim girl were found in a pond in Virginia. While this is not being investigated as a hate crime, charges have been made, and heartbreaking details are unfolding. Here's everything we know so far.

After leaving the All Dulles Area Muslim Society (ADAMS) mosque with her friends around 4 a.m., a teen was reportedly assaulted and beaten to death. Relatives and ADAMS members have identified the victim as 17-year-old Nabra Hassanen and are mourning the loss of this innocent teen during the last 10 days of Ramadan.
According to The Washington Post, Hassanen was walking away from an IHOP after leaving the mosque with a group of four or five friends when they got into some sort of verbal altercation with a man driving by. The man got out of his vehicle with a baseball bat, and the group immediately ran back to ADAMS. They contacted the police and reported that Hassanen was left behind.
After an extensive search, the Fairfax County Police Department reported finding what they believe to be the missing teen's remains in a pond located near the mosque, and they had also located a suspect during the search. Darwin Martinez Torres had been "driving suspiciously" and later taken into police custody, where he was arrested and charged with murder.

UPDATE: Suspect in Herndon missing teen investigation taken to jail. Darwin Martinez Torres, 22, of Sterling, has been charged with murder. pic.twitter.com/JGBxXmdqUf

— Fairfax Co. Police (@fairfaxpolice) June 18, 2017

Members of the ADAMS community have released a statement, saying, "We are devastated and heartbroken as our community undergoes and processes this traumatic event. It is a time for us to come together to pray and care for our youth."
Hassanen's death was the result of a horrible crime, and many people have spoken out on this tragedy during Ramadan. "Nabra, you and your family will get justice," Linda Sarsour, a civil rights activist, posted on Facebook. "This is NOT OKAY. This is NOT OKAY. As a mother of a 17 year old daughter — I am HEARTBROKEN. SHATTERED. Nowhere is safe. During these last few days of Ramadan, please pray for Nabra and her family."
Following this horrific crime, members of the ADAMS community have set up a LaunchGood fundraising page to help support Hassanen's family during this difficult time, which has so far raised more than $164K and will continue through July 7. There has also been a GoFundMe campaign set up to help her family with funeral costs.

Stay tuned for more details as this horrible story unfolds.

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A Muslim Teen Was Assaulted and Killed After Leaving Mosque

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