Victim of Possible Hate Crime Buried in Iraq
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Comstock/Thinkstock(EL CAJON, California) — An Iraqi woman who was found slain in her California home last month was buried Saturday in her native country.
While mourners laid to rest Shaima Alawadi, a 32-year-old mother of five, in the holy Shiite city of Najaf, police in El Cajon continued their investigation that her murder was the result of a hate crime.
Alawadi was found beaten unconscious by her teenage daughter at her family’s home on March 21. A few days later, the woman was taken off life-support.
Lt. Mark Coit of the El Cajon police said, “During the initial stages of this investigation, a threatening note was discovered very close to where the victim was found.”
While investigators did not discuss the exact nature of the note, the dead woman’s daughter said it threatened her family and demanded that they return to Iraq.
The teen also claimed they received a similar warning earlier in the month, but did not report it to police. Fatima Al Himidi said that note read, “This is our country, not yours, you terrorists,” but her mother ignored it, believing it was just a prank. El Cajon has a large Iraqi community.
Copyright 2012 ABC News Radio