ILOILO — An 11-year-old girl was found dead inside her family’s residence in Barangay Cabanbanan, Oton, Iloilo on Wednesday evening, September 16, with her 41-year-old mother taken into police custody as the primary suspect.
Police Lt. Col. Norbert Sipole, officer-in-charge of the Oton Municipal Police Station, said the mother, identified by the alias “Inday,” reportedly left their residence shortly after the incident and later traveled to her hometown in Dingle, Iloilo.
Based on the initial police investigation, the fatal incident is believed to have occurred at around 2 p.m.
Sipole said the victim’s 47-year-old father, identified by the alias “El,” returned home at around 6:30 p.m. after harvesting crops on their farm and found the front door locked.
After forcing his way inside, he found his daughter lifeless in a second-floor bedroom. His wife was no longer at the residence.
Police said the girl sustained a fatal wound to her neck.
The victim, identified by the alias “Nene,” was the couple’s only child. According to police, she had been diagnosed with hyperactive autism.
Sipole said family members recalled hearing the mother lulling the girl to sleep shortly before the incident. Neighbors reportedly did not hear any unusual disturbance from the house.
Police recovered two kitchen knives from the second floor of the residence as part of the investigation.
Sipole said the mother reportedly changed clothes before traveling to Dingle. Her relatives later brought her to the Oton police station, where she surrendered.
Police also learned from the family that the woman had previously suffered two miscarriages and had been taking prescribed medication for a condition described by her relatives as a nervous breakdown. Investigators noted that she appeared calm when she arrived at the police station.
Sipole said relatives and neighbors described the mother as a quiet person who rarely interacted with neighbors and generally left home only to buy necessities or accompany her daughter to school.
Investigators are continuing to establish the circumstances surrounding the girl’s death and are considering the mother as the primary suspect based on the initial findings and statements gathered.
Sipole said the father remains hesitant about filing a formal complaint against his wife. Police advised both families to discuss the matter before deciding on the appropriate legal action.
If a case is filed and the investigation establishes that the mother killed her own child, Sipole said the offense could be classified as parricide under the law.
Meanwhile, the father suffered extreme emotional distress after discovering his daughter’s body. Barangay captain Gerry M. Hiñosa requested personnel from the Rural Health Unit to provide medical assistance, including medication to help calm him.
The local government unit also committed to providing long-term psychological support to the grieving father.
The investigation remained ongoing as of this writing./PN
