A New York man is charged with murdering his estranged wife, the mother of his children, by burning her with acid-like chemicals after she was seeking a divorce, police said. 

Asif Qureshi was arraigned in a Long Island courtroom Friday, a week after Aleena Asif's body was found asphyxiated with chemical burns to the face at her home in Herricks. 

"It's a cyanide-like compound"

Relatives of the 46-year-old mother of three were in the Nassau County court as prosecutors revealed the grisly details. 

"She was a very beautiful human being and very hard working. She didn't deserve this kind of death," one family member said. 

Nassau County Police arrested Qureshi, who they said was seen on surveillance video sneaking into the home on Larch Drive wearing a mask, hoodie and gloves, allegedly hiding and waiting for his estranged wife to return from walking their 7-year-old child to school. 

He attacked her with the chemical mixture when she arrived, according to investigators. 

"It's a cyanide-like compound that was used to suffocate her," Detective Captain Stephen Fitzpatrick said. 

He allegedly got away on an e-bike he tied to a pole blocks away from the home. He even tested a getaway route along Hillside Avenue the previous week, according to investigators. 

A volatile marriage

Police described the couple's volatile marriage. She tried to leave Qureshi after recently trying to serve him with divorce papers, they said. 

"He refused to accept those divorce papers and started showing up at her house," Fitzpatrick said. "A pattern of stalking her." 

Qureshi, an unemployed software engineer, pleaded not guilty to the second-degree murder charge. His attorney called him a good U.S. citizen and provider for his family. 

Police said Asif was an accountant and had called law enforcement four times with safety concerns. 

"He threatened to make her swallow bleach," Fitzpatrick said. 

Qureshi could face life in prison without parole if convicted. Prosecutors said he had asked police when he could move back into the house with the three children.     

The most dangerous time in abusive relationships

Prosecutors said the family never changed the locks or alarm code, and they had disconnected their security cameras, out of fear Qureshi would spy on them.

Experts say leaving is the most dangerous time in an abusive relationship. Calling a domestic violence hotline can help with a safety plan. 

"You can get a court advocate to go with you to court to get an order of protection. If you've been threatened with homicide, you can get into a shelter, you can get advice," Kordon said. 

Suffolk County recently announced a new alliance with domestic violence safety groups amid a 42% surge in reports on Long Island since 2019. 

If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, help is available 24/7 by calling the New York State Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-942-6906 or texting 844-997-2121.