What started as a quiet attempt to escape a life she never chose quickly spiraled into a terrifying struggle for survival.
A 17-year-old girl from Lacey, Washington, is now at the center of a harrowing case after she fled her home to avoid being sent to Iraq for an arranged marriage.
But what she thought was a safe place — her school — turned into the scene of an alleged brutal attack by her own parents.
“They Tried to Kill Me”
According to police reports, the girl had been planning her escape for weeks.
Her parents, Ihsan Ali (44) and Zahraa Subhi Mohsin Ali (40), had allegedly become increasingly controlling, pulling her out of school and booking flights to Iraq for what she says was a forced marriage to an older man.
Terrified, she ran to Timberline High School early on October 18.
But her parents found her, and what happened next was captured on video by shocked classmates.
Her father allegedly threw her to the ground and placed her in a chokehold, while her mother later joined in, also trying to strangle her in what authorities are calling an attempted “honor killing.”
A Chilling History of Threats
In a three-hour interview with police, the girl revealed the horrifying details of her life leading up to the attack.
She explained that during a previous trip to Iraq at age 16, she became disgusted by how women were treated — covered head to toe and still harassed by men.
When her mother returned months later and announced the family would be moving there permanently, the girl knew she had to act fast.
She also told police that her father repeatedly threatened to kill her after discovering she was dating an American boy.
One time, he allegedly said, “If I could kill you, I would, but I can’t because of the cops.”
He also reportedly dragged her by the hair when he caught her using a phone.
Caught Outside the School
On the morning of the attack, she thought she was safe waiting outside school with her boyfriend.
But as they tried to catch a bus, she spotted her father’s truck — and panicked.
He appeared calm at first, urging her to go home.
When she refused, he allegedly punched her boyfriend and then grabbed her in a violent headlock.
She blacked out and later said she only realized the full extent of the assault after watching the video that went viral among students.
Her Mother Allegedly Joined the Attack
As if that wasn’t traumatic enough, the girl said her mother also grabbed her and began choking her while screaming in her ear.
Students tried to intervene, and the girl’s older sister, Haneen, allegedly tried to hold them back.
Despite the chaos, the girl managed to escape into the school building with her boyfriend, while her mother was kept from following.
The school went into lockdown.
Serious Injuries and a Long Recovery
She was taken to St. Peter Hospital, where doctors found injuries consistent with strangulation — including burst blood vessels in her eyes, facial abrasions, a sore throat, and jaw pain.
She reportedly blacked out multiple times during the ordeal.
Her boyfriend suffered a fractured hand trying to defend her, along with bruises and scratches.
The Legal Fallout
Initially, Ihsan was charged with attempted kidnapping and released on a $150,000 bond.
But nearly two weeks later, attempted second-degree murder was added to his charges, and his bail was raised to $1 million — which he couldn’t pay.
He remains in jail.
Zahraa, however, faced the attempted murder charge right away and was held on $500,000 bail.
Before her arrest, she reportedly drove her younger children into Canada and left them with relatives.
She was later caught trying to cross the border again with multiple bags.
“I Thought I Was Going to Die”
In her interview with police, the girl spoke candidly about her fear of being abused or killed if she had gotten on that plane to Iraq.
“Men think they can control women and the women can’t do anything about it,” she said.
She explained that in her culture, women who date or have sex outside arranged marriages face extreme punishment — even death.
She also spoke about the trauma of having her own family turn against her.
“I never thought he would hit me or choke me,” she told officers.