Crime and Courts

Father Arrested in Slaying of 25-Year-Old Woman in NYC Park: Report

Authorities say the father of a woman whose body was found in late 2019 in a New York City park has been charged in her murder

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What to Know

  • Authorities say the father of a woman whose body was found last year in a New York City park has been charged in her murder
  • Ola Salem, of Staten Island, was found unresponsive in Bloomingdale Park in October 2019; The ME ruled the cause of death as asphyxia
  • The young woman volunteered at a shelter for Muslim women in Brooklyn; she's been described as a beautiful soul with an infectious laugh

Authorities say the father of a woman whose body was found last year in a New York City park has been charged in her murder.

Kabary Salem was taken into custody in Egypt earlier this month and brought late last week to the U.S., according to the Staten Island Advance.

The body of Ola Salem, of Staten Island, was discovered on Oct. 24, 2019 near Pleasant Plains' Bloomingdale Park. Salem, 25, was fully clothed but unconscious when she was found in a wooded area around 9:30 a.m.

The medical examiner ruled that Salem died of asphyxia including neck compression. 

When her body was first identified, friends and loved ones were shattered, describing Salem as a "beautiful soul" with an infectious laugh. She worked at a shelter for Muslim women in Brooklyn and was the group's first ever volunteer. 

People who work there said she dedicated her life to protecting victims of domestic violence -- and those who knew and loved Salem were stunned by her death. 

Prosecutors had no immediate comment on Sunday. The name of an attorney for the father wasn’t immediately available.

Kabary Salem is a former professional middleweight boxer who fought in the Summer Olympics in 1992 and 1996.

Copyright NBC New York/Associated Press
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