Texas Woman Sentenced to 5 Years for Hate-Motivated Attempted Drowning of Palestinian-American Child

Elizabeth Wolf has been sentenced to five years imprisonment for attempting to drown a 3-year-old Palestinian-American Muslim child.

A court in Texas imposed a five-year prison sentence on Elizabeth Wolf, 43, who admitted to attempting to drown a 3-year-old Palestinian-American Muslim girl in an incident that occurred in May 2024. Local authorities identified racial prejudice as the motivating factor behind this attack.

According to court documentation and proceedings referenced by CBS News and the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Judge Andy Porter delivered the sentence after Wolf entered a guilty plea to charges of attempted murder and injury to a child. Following her indictment last year for the attack, which received condemnation from then-President Joe Biden, Wolf chose to waive her right to a jury trial.

This case holds significant importance as human rights organizations report increasing threats directed at American Muslims, Arabs, and Jews since Israel commenced military operations in Gaza following Hamas's 2023 attack.

The incident took place at a swimming pool within an apartment complex in Euless, Texas. According to police reports, Wolf engaged in an argument with the mother of the 3-year-old girl, who was also supervising her 6-year-old son at the pool. During this confrontation, Wolf inquired about their origin.

Police documentation indicates that Wolf attempted to drown the 3-year-old and tried to seize the 6-year-old. The mother rescued her daughter from the water, and medical responders subsequently cleared both children.

This case is one among several recent incidents raising concerns about anti-Muslim bias in the United States. Other notable cases include the fatal stabbing of a 6-year-old Palestinian-American boy in Illinois, the stabbing of a Palestinian-American man in Texas, and a violent mob attack targeting pro-Palestinian demonstrators in California.

Additional concerning incidents include the shooting of two Israeli visitors in Florida by a suspect who mistakenly identified them as Palestinians, and an assault by a pro-Israeli mob in New York City that chanted "Death to Arabs."

Incidents fueling concerns about antisemitism and anti-Israeli sentiment include the fatal shooting of two Israeli embassy staff members in Washington, an attack in Colorado resulting in one death, and an arson incident at Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro's residence.