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Identity of Montreal woman killed by escalator revealed as witnesses describe gruesome details
MONTREAL — The husband of a woman who was strangled by her own clothing on a Montreal subway escalator had just returned to Morocco to deal with his mother’s death.
A coroner’s spokeswoman identified the woman on Friday as Naima Rharouity, 47.
Those who knew her say the married mother of boys aged 8 and 5 was a kind and outgoing person who was always ready to lend a helping hand.
Thursday’s tragedy was another blow to her husband, who had recently returned to their native Morocco to deal with a death in his own family.
He was rushing back to Montreal on Friday to cope with his latest loss.
An administrator at a community organization where Rharouity had volunteered after seeking help when she first came to Canada said they were raising money and preparing to help her husband.
“He left for Morocco in a hurry because his own mother passed away,” said Djelloul Mersel. “He wasn’t here when she passed away.”
“It’s all so very tragic.”
Police and first responders believe Rharouity may have died after being strangled when her scarf became ensnared in the mechanism of the escalator.
But authorities weren’t able to explain Friday how that might have happened. A famly member reached by phone said they were waiting for answers.
“The cause of death is still unknown,” police said Friday.
They confirmed she was wearing a hijab but it was not known if that was the article of clothing that got caught.
“Half her body [was] on the floor, and less than half her body was on the stairs,” witness, Bassam Joubarani told CBC News.
Mersel, who works in development at Projet Villeray dans L’Est, said Rharouity had been in Montreal for about a year-and-a-half.
He said Rharouity started about by seeking aid at the organization, which provides assistance to newcomers in the area.
Subsequently, she ended up volunteering at the organization. Its Facebook page shows her at one of the many events put together by the group.
“Naima was involved in all of the activities we did here with her children, with her family,” Mersel said. “She was sociable and every time we had activities, she’d always be ready to help.”
She was also a regular with her younger son at a weekly event meant for stay-at-home mothers looking for a break. She was at that gathering just last Tuesday, Mersel said.
Mersel, who is Algerian, said the first thing people do when someone dies in North African culture is to raise money for the family.
He said the organization found out about the tragedy early Friday. They had an inkling it might be someone they knew.
“We knew a woman wearing a hijab had died but we didn’t know who,” Mersel said. “We figured it was someone we knew because Fabre metro (subway) isn’t far from here.”
On Friday morning, a friend of Rharouity called to deliver the bad news.
The tragic death also produced a torrent of racist and hate-filled comments on the Internet after some media reported the victim was wearing a hijab.
MONTREAL — The husband of a woman who was strangled by her own clothing on a Montreal subway escalator had just returned to Morocco to deal with his mother’s death.
A coroner’s spokeswoman identified the woman on Friday as Naima Rharouity, 47.
Those who knew her say the married mother of boys aged 8 and 5 was a kind and outgoing person who was always ready to lend a helping hand.
Thursday’s tragedy was another blow to her husband, who had recently returned to their native Morocco to deal with a death in his own family.
He was rushing back to Montreal on Friday to cope with his latest loss.
An administrator at a community organization where Rharouity had volunteered after seeking help when she first came to Canada said they were raising money and preparing to help her husband.
“He left for Morocco in a hurry because his own mother passed away,” said Djelloul Mersel. “He wasn’t here when she passed away.”
“It’s all so very tragic.”
Police and first responders believe Rharouity may have died after being strangled when her scarf became ensnared in the mechanism of the escalator.
But authorities weren’t able to explain Friday how that might have happened. A famly member reached by phone said they were waiting for answers.
“The cause of death is still unknown,” police said Friday.
They confirmed she was wearing a hijab but it was not known if that was the article of clothing that got caught.
“Half her body [was] on the floor, and less than half her body was on the stairs,” witness, Bassam Joubarani told CBC News.
Mersel, who works in development at Projet Villeray dans L’Est, said Rharouity had been in Montreal for about a year-and-a-half.
He said Rharouity started about by seeking aid at the organization, which provides assistance to newcomers in the area.
Subsequently, she ended up volunteering at the organization. Its Facebook page shows her at one of the many events put together by the group.
“Naima was involved in all of the activities we did here with her children, with her family,” Mersel said. “She was sociable and every time we had activities, she’d always be ready to help.”
She was also a regular with her younger son at a weekly event meant for stay-at-home mothers looking for a break. She was at that gathering just last Tuesday, Mersel said.
Mersel, who is Algerian, said the first thing people do when someone dies in North African culture is to raise money for the family.
He said the organization found out about the tragedy early Friday. They had an inkling it might be someone they knew.
“We knew a woman wearing a hijab had died but we didn’t know who,” Mersel said. “We figured it was someone we knew because Fabre metro (subway) isn’t far from here.”
On Friday morning, a friend of Rharouity called to deliver the bad news.
The tragic death also produced a torrent of racist and hate-filled comments on the Internet after some media reported the victim was wearing a hijab.
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