2 bodies found in Chaska during search for missing women

CHASKA, Minn. (KMSP) - Somali Community leaders say two bodies have been found in a swampy area off Highway 41 in Chaska, almost 48 hours after two women went missing.

Jaylani Hussein, Executive Director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) Minnesota chapter, says while a positive identification will take weeks, they have every reason to believe these are the women they’ve been looking for.

Bushra Abdi and Zeynab “Hafsa” Abdalla, both 19-years-old, were last seen around 3 a.m. Saturday morning. 

Family says the women were both working overnight shifts at their jobs Friday into Saturday when they were last seen. During their breaks, Hafsa, who works in Shakopee, came to pick up Bushra at her job in Chaska. Twenty minutes later, family claims police received a panicked 911 call. 

“From what I know there was a 911 call and there was background noise asking for help,” said Bushra’s sister Habsa Abdi.

Community members got together to hand out flyers Sunday afternoon, going door-to-door asking for information. By 6 p.m., the search crews were gathered at Highway 41 and White Oak Drive where word started spreading that they had found a car submerged in water.

Hussein said law enforcement has been unable to read the license plate because the car is fully submerged, but the color matches that of the Abdalla’s car.

Carver County Sheriff and Chaska Police could not be reached for information surrounding the case.