By Jerromie S. Walters
A tragic incident has unfolded over the weekend, with fervent skepticism about a mother’s intentions. Reports indicate that a mother may have killed her young daughter by slitting her throat.
The Liberia National Police (LNP) arrested the young woman on Saturday, January 11, 2025 during the afternoon hours. She is accused of killing her daughter, who was just 1 year and 8 months old. Community members claim the mother suffers from mental illness.
After the incident, she fled but was captured in Ganta City, Nimba County.
The Incident
The astonishing event occurred in the F-Sham neighborhood of Paynesville. Witnesses shared the distressing details. The victim’s older sister said their mother had sent her to buy biscuits. When she returned, she found her mother harming her younger sister. In panic, the sister ran outside, calling for help.
By the time neighbors arrived, it was too late. The young girl had already died from her injuries, and the mother was gone.
Mental Disorder
Mental disorders can deeply affect thoughts, emotions, and behavior. They may lead to unintentional actions that harm oneself or others.
Conditions like schizophrenia and severe mood disorders can cloud judgment and decision-making. This can result in actions that a person might not consider if they were mentally healthy.
Psychotic disorders can cause hallucinations or delusions. An individual experiencing these symptoms may think they are defending themselves or reacting to a threat that isn’t real. This can lead to tragic violence against loved ones.
Some individuals with mental disorders lack insight into their condition. They may not recognize how their illness affects their actions. This can prevent them from seeking help, increasing the risk of harmful behavior.
Deaths under mysterious circumstances
This month has seen a disturbing rise in human rights violations, highlighted by several tragic incidents. In Lofa County, specifically Voinjama City, a 45-year-old woman known only as “Yarmah” was discovered dead with her sensitive body parts mutilated.
Additionally, a 19-year-old murder suspect was found dead in a local police cell in Voinjama, raising questions about police custody practices and the treatment of detainees.
On January 9, 2025, in the F-Sham neighborhood of the Soul Clinic community in Paynesville, a Liberian woman tragically took the life of her three-year-old daughter by slitting her throat. Liberians noted that this heartbreaking incident highlights the critical need for mental health support and intervention in vulnerable families.
In another troubling report, local Fulani businessman Hassan Jalloh was allegedly murdered by the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) in Redlight. Alarmingly, there has been no state prosecution in this case or in others reported this month.
Prior to a few other in recent days, 21-year-old Isaiah Benedicto Williams suffered a wrongful overdose and died at St. Joseph’s Catholic Hospital in Congo Town, Monrovia.
