Parents Accused of Assaulting, Attempting to Kidnap Daughter Near Lacey High School Over Arranged Marriage

A father has been accused of assaulting and attempting to kidnap his daughter at Timberline Middle School in Lacey on October 18.

The incident occurred in the afternoon at a bus stop near the school and in the presence of numerous witnesses, including students, according to court records.

Ali Ihsan, a 44-year-old Lacey resident, allegedly argued with his 17-year-old daughter, strangled her and hit her 16-year-old boyfriend, according to court records.

Both Ihsan Ali and his 40-year-old wife, Zahraa Subhi Mohsin Ali, allegedly participated in the attempted kidnapping, court records show. The teens reportedly managed to escape from the parents and fled toward the school, prompting staff to lock down the campus.

The teens told police the girl’s parents wanted to take her to another country for an arranged marriage, and her father threatened to kill her if she didn’t cooperate, according to court records.

Prosecutors charged Ali Ihsan, the girl’s father, with attempted first-degree kidnapping, domestic violence and second-degree assault, domestic violence, as well as fourth-degree assault in Thurston County Superior Court on Wednesday.

Ali Ihsan appeared in court for his preliminary hearing on Monday. Judge John Skinder found probable cause for the alleged crimes and set bail at $150,000. In doing so, Skinder determined that there is a substantial danger that Ali Ihsan will commit a violent crime and interfere with the case.

Thurston County Jail records indicate Ali Ihsan has been released from jail. However, by court order, he must wear a GPS tracking unit and have no contact with his daughter and wife.

Meanwhile, Zahraa Ali has been charged with second-degree assault, domestic violence, second-degree robbery, and violating a protective order. Judge Christopher Lanese found probable cause for the alleged crimes during a hearing Thursday and set bail for Zahraa Ali at $500,000.

Lanese determined that the court could not be sure that she would attend her next court hearing, there is a substantial danger that she would commit a violent crime and could interfere with the case.

Additionally, Lanese prohibited Zahraa Ali from contacting her daughter, her daughter’s boyfriend, and Timberline High School.

Zahraa Ali remained in custody at the jail as of Friday, according to the jail roster.

Both Ihsan and Zahraa Ali were ordered to surrender their passports upon their release.

None of them have known criminal convictions, according to court records.

the investigation

Probable cause statements filed in court for the cases of Ihsan and Zahraa Ali describe the investigation of the Oct. 18 incident from authorities’ perspective.

Several witnesses called 911 to report that a man, later identified as Ihsan Ali, had a girl strangled. He eventually escaped from Ihsan Ali and a passerby restrained Ihsan Ali near the bus stop until authorities arrived.

Timberline High School administrators also called authorities to report that the school had been placed on lockdown due to the incident.

An officer arrived at the scene around 2:20 pm and detained Ihsan Ali in his patrol car. He recognized Ihsan Ali because he spoke to him earlier that day about a “wild call,” court records show.

Witnesses reportedly told police that Ihsan Ali grabbed his daughter by the shoulder and started talking to her in a different language. He then allegedly put both arms around her neck and tried to push her away.

The girl’s boyfriend reportedly tried to intervene, but Ihsan Ali punched him in the face, according to court records.

The witness said the girl went limp and appeared to lose consciousness while her boyfriend and several people tried to take Ihsan Ali away from her. The girl regained consciousness once she was freed from Ihsan Ali, but then Zahraa Ali also allegedly tried to grab her by the neck.

The girl reportedly freed herself with the help of her boyfriend and the teens fled toward the school. Zahraa Ali followed them inside, but school staff stopped her at a double door, according to court records.

Officers reviewed surveillance footage of the incident that allegedly showed Zahraa Ali following the teens through the school’s front doors.

After being blocked, Zahraa Ali left the building and attempted to find a side entrance. The school principal then came out and told him to leave, according to court records.

First responders transported the girl to Providence St. Peter Hospital in Olympia for treatment and a strangulation exam.

An officer later visited the girl at the hospital. She told the officer that her parents tried to strangle her and she fell in and out of consciousness. He also accused his older sister of helping his parents during the incident.

The girl reportedly told the officer she believed her father was trying to kill her.

Additionally, she told the officer that a school counselor was helping her find housing and that her plan was to take a city bus when school ended.

Notably, the school’s vice principal served Zahraa Ali with a trespassing letter on Sept. 17, a day after she allegedly grabbed and yelled at a high school student, according to court records.

The letter warned her that she would be trespassed on any North Thurston Public Schools property.

The girl’s boyfriend corroborated the girl’s story and told officers that he had an order of protection against Zahraa Ali that was served on him on October 16.

Her mother reportedly told police she was present during a previous Child Protective Services interview with the girl, where she accused Ihsan Ali of threatening her with an “honor killing” for refusing an arranged marriage with a older man in another country.

The groom’s father filed a civil protection order against Ihsan Ali on behalf of his son on October 21. Judicial Commissioner Megan Rue granted a temporary order the same day, according to court records.

In his filing, the groom’s father wrote that school staff had asked his son to help the girl get to the bus stop. She wrote that school staff put this situation “in my son’s lap as if he were an adult and understood the seriousness of it all.”

He wrote that the girl feared for her life due to previous threats from her parents and believes Ihsan Ali should be charged with attempted murder.