House-maid kills two year-old child in Imo

A two year-old girl, Somkenechukwu has been hacked to death by a maid living with her parents in Owerri, the Imo State capital.

The maid, Hope Istifanus, 16, weekend allegedly strangulated the little girl and watched her die and prepared the little girl to look like she was sleeping.

Istifanus, until the incident, was living with Somkenechukwu’s parents as a caregiver at their Owerri residence, Ihechiowa Street off MCC Road, Owerri.


Somkenechukwu’s mother is a petty trader at the popular Relief market, Owerri while her father is currently bedridden as a result of an accident he sustained months ago.

It was gathered that after the act, the maid carried on as nothing happened.

One of the neighbours said, “When Somkenechukwu’s mother returned from her place of business that day, she saw the child lying on the bed. The maid had told her that the little girl had eaten and had her bath and slept off after running round the house. She didn’t suspect anything and decided to rest a little. However, when the child did not wake up after four hours, she decided to wake her up.

“So, all efforts by the mother to wake up Somkenechukwu proved abortive as she neither turned nor showed any signs of life. This action prompted her to rush the child to the hospital in company of the maid, where the child was pronounced dead for over eight hours already from signs of strangulation. That was when all eyes turned to the maid and after much prodding, she admitted to have committed the act which she blamed on the devil”.

However, in a bid to avoid a mob action, Istifanus was taken to the MCC Road Police Station.

When contacted, the police spokesman for the state, Orlando Ikeokwu confirmed the development and said already the case has been transferred to the State command adding that the maid is in custody and giving useful information to the Police.