The Police in Ondo State are currently investigating the motivation behind a 17-year-old foster child, who allegedly murdered her 54 year-old adopted mother, a civil servant, identified as Mrs Funmilayo Adelayi at her home in Oda Town in the suburb of Akure, the Ondo State Capital.
The incident was said to have happened on Wednesday March 13, which was the last day the deceased was last seen at work.
She was said to have attended an inauguration of a new permanent Secretary in her ministry that fateful day before she met her death when she arrived home.
Eyewitnesses report that she was still in the dress and shoes she wore to work when her body was found.
Her lifeless body was found in her living room in her pool of blood on Sunday after good neighbours forced her gates and her doors opened under the supervision of policemen.
Her body was oozing with smell indicating decomposition given that she had died several days before.
Residents living close to her said they were perceiving an odour from the compound on Sunday, and tried to find out what it was but met the gate locked with a padlock from the outside.
They said when they looked through the gate, the deceased’s car was parked outside her house, suggesting she was inside the house.
Mrs Adelayi, who worked with the Ondo State Ministry of Finance, lived alone with the house help, Wumi, in a three bedroom bungalow along Superjet Road, Premier Estate, off Oda Road in Ondo Town.
Those who knew her closely, said the teenager earlier had mental issues, but had undergone treatment several times.
Wumi who is now in the custody of the police, sources say, was withdrawn from Fiwasaye Girls College, Akure, at a time when her mental issues became pronounced.
She was later admitted in a private school in Akure where she continued her education and had reached SSS2.
“She was advised to take the girl to her parents because of the issue, but she refused perhaps because she felt the treatment she gave her would be enough,” a woman who would not want to be named, said.
“How can one be living with a person with a mental problem, that is the problem.”
Another eyewitness said the deceased was stabbed in her belly area, and the doors were shut against her to prevent her from getting any help.
“You can see blood everywhere from her bedroom to the living room as she struggled to get out and find help, but because the doors were shut against her she could not make it,” he said.
“The knife her attacker used to kill her was found beside her. This is really very sad.”
According to the state Police Public Relations Officer, Mrs Funmilayo Odunlami, the deceased’s family claimed the suspect was suffering from mental illness but the command had not got the medical report to affirm the claim.
The PPRO said, “The suspect is in our custody and we have started an investigation into the matter but the family told us that the suspect had a mental health issue.
“So, we are waiting for the medical report to ascertain that. The deceased is a foster mother of the suspect, she had been taking care of her since her childhood.”
Credit: NB247
