Officials confirm that the body of Sheila Abdus-Salaam, the first Muslim female judge in the United States, was found floating lifeless in the Hudson River on Wednesday (Apr. 12). She was reported missing from her home in Harlem earlier in the day.
According to News 4 New York, a call was made to the NYPD regarding a body floating in the Hudson River near West 132nd Street and Henry Hudson Parkway. They identified the victim as Abdus-Salaam, and her husband confirmed that his wife was the deceased victim. Her body showed no signs of trauma, and she will be transferred to a medical center to determine the official cause of death.
Abdus-Salaam was also the first African-American New York State Court Justice. In 1993, she was elected to the New York State Supreme Court, and at the time of her death, she was serving on the New York State Court of Appeals. She was 65 years old.
“Through her writings, her wisdom, and her unshakable moral compass, she was a force for good whose legacy will be felt for years to come,” said N.Y. Gov. Andrew Cuomo. “I was proud to appoint her to the state’s highest court and am deeply saddened by her passing.”