Tinley Park man charged with murder in death of his 17-year-old daughter – Chicago Tribune

The father of 17-year-old Andrew High School senior Mia Maro, found dead in her Tinley Park home Sunday afternoon, has been charged in connection with her death, police said Wednesday.

Mohammed Almaru, 42, was charged with first-degree murder in the death of Mia Maro, whose death the Cook County medical examiner’s office ruled a homicide, saying she had suffered multiple injuries.

The girl had “serious bruising throughout her whole body,” Tinley Park police Chief Matthew Walsh said at a news conference about 200 feet from where Maro and her father lived.

The dad apparently tried to take his own life, and when first responders arrived found him with self-inflicted wounds to a wrist and his throat, although the wounds were superficial, police said.

Almaru had also taken several narcotic pills and was taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, Walsh said. He said Almaru is not yet able to appear in court for a bond hearing.

“It’s an absolute tragic loss,” Walsh said. “People are traumatized by this.”

Paramedics arriving at the home, in the 7800 block of 167th Street, initially tended to Almaru then found his daughter in a lower level of the home. She was pronounced dead shortly before 5 p.m. Sunday, according to the medical examiner’s office.

Walsh said he did not know how many people were in the home at the time or if anybody tried to prevent the apparent attack. He said Almaru’s sister called 911.

Police said they were unable to interview Almaru until late Monday, that he is still under medical care at the hospital and has not been cooperating with investigators.

Walsh said police have had just one call at the home, and that was for a medical issue involving the girl’s mother.

Maro’s friends are trying to come to grips with her sudden death.

Elyana Aldabbagh said she had been friends with Maro since sixth grade, when they both attended Grissom Middle School in Tinley Park.

“Mia was amazing,” Aldabbagh said. “She was the sweetest, kindest and most genuine person I’ve known.”

At Andrew, where Aldabbagh is a senior, the two took advanced placement classes “and helped each other through them throughout our four years and it was fun,” she said.

“I truly believe that Mia was going to go very far and make a big difference in this world and would have an impact on many individuals she would’ve come across in her life,” Aldabbagh said.

She and Maro were preparing for Andrew’s graduation ceremony May 21.

“The remaining few weeks of school will be very hard without Mia and graduation will truly not be the same,” Aldabbagh said.

Counselors at the school have been available this week to talk to students, and Walsh said Orland Park police lent the use of their therapy dog to the school.

“It’s working out very well,” Walsh said.

The chief said he had no information regarding possible past physical abuse of Maro. He said Almaru has no prior criminal history.

“He’s not talking, I don’t want to speculate,” Walsh said.

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He said it was not clear how soon Almaru might be able to participate in an initial court appearance, saying “he’s not been totally conscious.”

He said police officers, many of whom have daughters the same age as Maro, along with the community as a whole have been trying to cope with the tragedy.

Walsh noted that the Maro was “a kid getting ready to get out of high school, move on with her life. Now it’s not gonna happen.”

The fire station where the news conference was held is almost directly across the street from the home Maro shared with her father.

Around a tree in the front yard is a growing memorial of flowers, stuffed animals and balloons.

Just before the news conference, a vehicle would pull up every minute or so, and somebody would get out and add to the memorial.

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