18-Year-Old N.J. Girl Dies After Being Struck by Boat Propeller Days Before Starting College: 'Tragic'

Mar. 15, 2025

Zeina Mahafzah.Photo:Facebook

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In an email to PEOPLE on Tuesday, Aug. 27, New Jersey State Police (NJSP) identified the victim as Zeina Mahafzah of Wayne, N.J.

Police said troopers responded to an incident involving a boat in the waters off Sunset Park in Harvey Cedars, N.J., in the late afternoon of Sunday, Aug. 25.

“The incident remains under investigation, and no additional information is available at this time,” NJSP said.

On social media, theHarvey Cedars Police Departmentdescribed the death as “a tragic boating accident … As the investigation is in its preliminary stages, we ask that you keep the family and community in your thoughts and prayers.”

According to theNew York Daily News, Zeina recently graduated from Wayne Hills High School and was slated to begin her academic year at Rutgers University next week.

In a statement to PEOPLE, Rutgers University at Newark confirmed that Zeina was registered for fall 2024 classes.

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On Monday, Aug. 26, Zeina’s father, Al Mahafzah, posted to Facebook a photo of his daughter and an invitation for family and friends to a prayer and burial service scheduled for Wednesday, Aug. 28.

“We pray that Allah accept all the good she has done and raise her to the highest level of Jannah, in heaven, and grant the family patience, during this time,” the invitation reads, in part.

In the Facebook post, Ali wrote, according to a translation: “And we say only what pleases Allah, and to Allah we belong, and to Him we shall return.”

source: people.com