Two Saudi Sisters Found Dead in Hudson River Killed Themselves: Medical Examiner

Two Saudi sisters found dead and bound in the Hudson River late last year took their own lives, the New York City medical examiner announced Tuesday. The medical examiner said Rotana and Tala Farea bound themselves before getting into the river and ultimately drowning, The Washington Post reports. The sisters, ages 23 and 16, were found dead on Oct. 24. They reportedly disappeared from their Virginia home on Aug. 23 and made their way to New York City. According to detectives, the sisters maxed out a credit card in New York by shopping and staying in high-end hotels before committing suicide. Both Rotana and Tala had reportedly alleged they were abused by family members and sought asylum in the U.S. on those grounds. Police said the two would rather “inflict harm on themselves than return to Saudi Arabia.”