Girl, 14, sentenced to 7 years over Uber Eats driver Mohammad Anwar's death in carjacking
The 14-year-old girl involved in the death of Washington DC driver Mohammed Anwar was handed a seven-year sentence by a DC court on July 6. Court records show that the minor will be held in a juvenile detention center until she’s 21. A similar stringent sentence was handed to her 15-year-old accomplice in June over the case.
The brutal death of Anwar in March stunned Washington DC, and indeed the nation. It also caused a lot of controversy at the time. While reporting the incident, CNN called the crash that killed Anwar an "accident", leading to people slamming the company for "hypocrisy". DC Mayor Muriel Bowser also found herself in trouble, after she tweeted "Auto theft is a crime of opportunity. Follow these steps to reduce the risk of your vehicle becoming a target."
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Graphic footage from the scene showed the Virginia resident fighting with the two teens over control over the car before he is pushed out. Anwar was seen hanging onto the left door before the car crashed. The footage quickly went viral on social media, with many hailing him as a hero for his efforts.
Girls sentenced to years in jail
According to reports, the two girls will be placed in a juvenile center until they are 21 years old. The older girl, who was 15 at the time, pleaded guilty in late March. At the time, her guilty plea led prosecutors to drop other charges including armed carjacking, robbery, and aggravated reckless driving. The second perpetrator, who was 13 at the time has also pleaded guilty to second-degree murder. Because both the girls are minors, their court proceedings are closed to the public.
Neither of the girls has been identified, and it is unclear if any additional penalties were imposed. We can confirm that the 14-year-old had other charges dropped, like her accomplice. Fox News reported that the younger girl reportedly had a prior record for two car thefts, as pointed out by Anwar's daughter. "Is the law protecting us or them?" she asked during the sentencing. "Why was she not in a facility that day?" The family also recalled Anwar as "a family man with a kind heart" who previously worked in Kuwait before emigrating to the US. ABC 7 reported that the minor told Anwar's family, "I just want to say to the family I’m sorry, I never meant to do that. If I could go back to that day I would change it."
An immigrant from Pakistan, Anwar came to the US in 2014. He was living in Springfield, Virginia, and working as a driver for Uber Eats. He was assaulted by the two girls on March 23 near Nationals Park and died during the attempt to get control of his car. The two minors were initially taken to the hospital to be treated, before being arrested by police. Anwar is survived by a wife and two adult children in the US, while his four grandchildren live in Pakistan.