A Muslim Teen Was Assaulted and Killed After Leaving Mosque

By Perri Konecky

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.
  • 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.