Authorities in Lahore have announced a breakthrough in the case involving the deaths of an American woman and her three children, revealing that the mother was the principal orchestrator of the poisoning before ending her own life.
During a press briefing, DIG Investigation Zeeshan Raza identified the mother as the main suspect in the case. He added that two additional individuals have been apprehended in connection with the incident. These include the owner of an online chemical store and a delivery rider, with the shop owner reportedly receiving Rs138,000 via MoneyGram for supplying potassium cyanide.
Investigators disclosed that the mother had been battling depression and had been researching suicide methods on the internet since November. Suicide-related materials were also recovered from her mobile device, and communication with the chemical supplier was traced back to Facebook interactions.
The victim, Aleena, had traveled from the United States to Lahore with her husband and three children and was residing in a rented accommodation. She arranged for the poisonous chemical parcel to be sent to a friend’s residence, who was unaware of the package’s contents. Aleena collected the parcel on July 16 after meeting this friend at a private pizza outlet.
On July 17, Aleena allegedly mixed potassium cyanide into ice cream and served it to her children, aged 15, 11, and 9. Following this, she consumed the poisoned ice cream herself and attempted to administer it to her husband, Nasir. Nasir underwent a polygraph test and was thoroughly examined during the investigation.
The forensic analysis confirmed the presence of potassium cyanide in the victims. DIG Raza asserted that Aleena intended to eliminate her entire family, including her husband and children, and had initially sought to have the poison delivered while still in the United States.
Police noted that the family had planned to travel to Sialkot the day after the incident. Due to the victims’ American nationality, an FBI team also engaged with Aleena’s family as part of the ongoing investigation.
In a separate matter, DIG Raza provided an update on the Abdullah Tahir murder case, stating that investigation continues without confirmation of contract killers’ involvement. Police have traced the vehicle allegedly used by the shooters and have detained several individuals for questioning.
