The Iraqi parents of a 16-year-old girl who allegedly ran away from her South Texas home to avoid an arranged marriage are accused of subjecting her to physical abuse when she refused to wed an older man, investigators said.

Abdulah Fahmi Al Hishmawi, 34, and Hamdiyah Sabah Al Hishmawi, 33, were arrested Friday on family violence charges for allegedly choking the teen, beating her and pouring hot cooking oil on her when she refused to marry the man. The parents allegedly were to receive $20,000 for the arranged wedding.

The teenager ran away and was reported missing on Jan. 30. Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar on Friday announced she had been found in mid-March, adding that she had been taken in by an organization that rescues women in abusive family situations and was safe.



Salazar said the juvenille was placed with Child Protective Services -- along with five younger siblings. It was not clear if the other siblings were also abused.

The teen's father denies ever abusing his daughter but told investigators about a possible arranged marriage in the works between their daughter and a family friend from Dallas, WOAI reported.



Salazar said it's "highly likely" the man who her parents arranged for her to be married to will face charges as well, NBC affiliate KPRC reported.



The family is from Iraq and has been in the U.S. for two years.