Saudi sisters found in the New York River were alive when they entered the water, officials say

NEW YORK – Investigators in New York are trying to figure out what happened to two sisters found floating near an edge of the Hudson River on Wednesday. Police said Rotana Farea, 22, and Tala Farea, 16, were dressed the same way and tied together at the ankle and waist with tape. For nearly a week, the authorities had only police sketches.

"We are looking for justice for these two girls and to know exactly what happened and what led them to find the sea." Detectives Dermot Shea.

At a briefing on Wednesday, police announced that the medical examiner had determined that the sisters were alive when they entered the water. However, the cause of their death has not been determined.

The sisters lived in Fairfax, Virginia. According to the police, they were last seen at the end of September, but what happened afterwards remains a mystery.

"At the moment, no homicide has been declared," Shea said. jpg "srcset =" https://cbsnews3.cbsistatic.com/hub/i/r/2018/10/31/71be582b-a04b-a04b-48ab-8b98-d87654eeb68a/resize/620x/2897e878daa3407a2407b2cd266517c0265e

A New York Police Department source told CBS News that the mother, who lives in Virginia, told police she received a call from the Saudi government in October telling the family that they had to all return to Saudi Arabia sought asylum asylum.

The police are still investigating what exactly happened, but they call these deaths suspicious. The survey was hampered by the near total absence of digital footprint. The sisters did not have a recorded phone or presence on social media.