Attempted Drowning of Palestinian-American Children
On May 19, 2024, Elizabeth Wolf, a 42-year-old white woman, attempted to drown a 3-year-old Palestinian-American girl and injured her 6-year-old brother at an apartment complex pool in Euless, Texas, after calling their hijab-wearing mother a 'terrorist.' Wolf was initially arrested for public intoxication and released on $1,000 bond, but charges were escalated to attempted capital murder with a hate crime enhancement after CAIR-Texas demanded investigation. A Tarrant County grand jury indicted her in September 2024, and her bond was raised to $1 million. In October 2025, Wolf pleaded guilty and admitted the attack was motivated by bias against Muslims, receiving a five-year sentence that CAIR criticized as too lenient given the maximum of life in prison.
Timeline
October 2, 2025
Sentencing Draws National and International Coverage
Reuters, US News, Al Jazeera, and TRT World covered the sentencing. The case was cited as emblematic of rising anti-Muslim hate crimes in the United States, with advocates noting it occurred amid heightened anti-Palestinian sentiment related to the Israel-Gaza conflict.
SourceOctober 1, 2025
Wolf Pleads Guilty to Attempted Murder; Admits Hate Crime Motivation
Elizabeth Wolf pleaded guilty to attempted murder of a minor and injury to a child. She pleaded true to the special-issue hate crime allegation, admitting she intentionally targeted the children because of her bias against Muslims and people of Middle Eastern descent.
SourceOctober 1, 2025
Wolf Sentenced to Five Years in Prison
Wolf was sentenced to five years for attempted murder and two years for injury to a child, to run concurrently, including time already served. CAIR-Texas welcomed the guilty plea but expressed disappointment at the 'relatively light sentence,' noting the maximum for attempted capital murder is life in prison.
SourceOctober 15, 2024
Victim's Mother Speaks Out in Exclusive Interview
The Palestinian-American mother spoke to WFAA, describing how Wolf said 'You're not a citizen, you're a terrorist' before the assault. She reported her children remained traumatized and afraid of swimming pools. The family requested anonymity out of fear for their safety.
SourceSeptember 3, 2024
Tarrant County Grand Jury Indictment with Hate Crime Enhancement
A Tarrant County grand jury indicted Elizabeth Wolf on charges of attempted capital murder of a person under 10 and injury to a child. The indictment included a hate crime enhancement, formally alleging Wolf targeted the children because of her bias against Muslims and people of Middle Eastern descent.
SourceJune 27, 2024
Bond Increased to $1 Million; Wolf Rearrested Again
During a bond hearing, a Tarrant County judge increased Wolf's bond from $40,000 to $1 million for the attempted capital murder charge. Wolf was ordered to have no contact with the victims and to stay at least 1,000 feet from the apartment complex.
SourceJune 24, 2024
National Media Coverage and Widespread Condemnation
The case received national coverage from NBC News, CNN, Washington Post, Al Jazeera, and other outlets. The incident drew attention to rising anti-Muslim and anti-Palestinian hostility in the United States, particularly in the context of the ongoing Israel-Gaza conflict.
SourceJune 22, 2024
CAIR-Texas Holds Press Conference Demanding Hate Crime Investigation
CAIR-DFW held a press conference calling on state and federal law enforcement to investigate the attack as a hate crime. CAIR criticized the initial $40,000 bond as dangerously low for an attempted murder charge. Texas State Rep. Salman Bhojani (Euless) condemned the attack, stating 'Hate has no place in Euless.'
SourceJune 21, 2024
Charges Upgraded to Attempted Capital Murder; Wolf Rearrested
Euless police upgraded the charges against Elizabeth Wolf to attempted capital murder and injury to a child. She was taken back into custody and released on a $40,000 bond. Police formally recommended the case be investigated as a hate crime.
SourceMay 19, 2024
Elizabeth Wolf Attacks Palestinian-American Children at Apartment Pool
At approximately 5:44 PM, Euless police responded to a disturbance at an apartment complex pool on the 2500 block of Highway 360. A heavily intoxicated Elizabeth Wolf, 42, interrogated a hijab-wearing Palestinian-American mother about her nationality, called her a 'terrorist,' then grabbed her 3-year-old daughter and forced her underwater while also injuring her 6-year-old son. Bystanders intervened to stop the attack.
SourceMay 19, 2024
Wolf Arrested for Public Intoxication, Released on $1,000 Bond
Elizabeth Wolf was initially arrested on a public intoxication charge following the pool attack and released on a $1,000 bond. The initial charge did not reflect the severity of the alleged attempted drowning or the anti-Muslim statements witnesses reported.
SourceQuick Stats