An Illinois father has been found guilty of beating his teen daughter to death following an argument the two had regarding her prom in 2022.
Mohammed Almaru, 42, of Tinley Park was convicted of first degree murder charges on Friday, Aug. 16, for his involvement in the death of his daughter, 17-year-old Mia Maro, the Cook County State's Attorney's Office said on Monday, Aug. 19.
Almaru Had Given His Daughter Permission to Attend Prom but Later Changed His Mind Because He 'Did Not Trust Her'
Maro was a senior at Andrew High School when her father beat her inside their home on May 1, 2022, the attorney's office said.
Court documents previously obtained by FOX 32 Chicago stated that Almaru initially gave his daughter permission to attend her senior prom on April 29, 2022, but later changed his mind, stating that he "did not trust her."
Prosecutors said one of Almaru's sisters found her niece covered in a blanket in the home in the 7800 block of 167th Street on the afternoon of May 1. At the time, Almaru was sitting on the floor beside the teen with an arm draped over his daughter's body.
Court documents said Maro was "covered in numerous bruises" with injuries to her head, arms, legs and feet. She suffered "extensive hemorrhaging and bleeding" to her brain, and based on evidence, it seemed that her father used "multiple objects" to inflict the wounds, the documents added, per the outlet.
Almaru was Found Next to Maro's Body with 'Self-Inflicted' Wounds to His Wrist, Throat, Had Ingested Pills
At the time, police officers found him inside his home, next to his slain daughter, "with self-inflicted wounds to his wrist and throat," according to a May 4, 2022 statement from police. The police statement also alleged that "Almaru had ingested pills and was taken to Christ Hospital, where he was stabilized."
Court documents also allege that Almaru sent an apologetic text to one of his sons the Sunday after Maro's death, explaining that he "lost my mind" and "went out of control."
Prosecutors said Maro and her father arguing about her prom allegedly had to do with her crashing her father's car the week before her death.
