MALITA, Davao Occidental (May 4) – A 17-year-old mother and her six-month-old son were found dead inside their home in Barangay Talogoy, Malita, Davao Occidental, on the morning of May 1, 2025.
According to the Malita Municipal Police Station, both victims sustained fatal hack wounds to the head and neck. Authorities believe the killings happened days before their bodies were discovered, as decomposition had already begun.
PSSg. John Lenn Cagna-an, the assigned investigator, said the bodies were already in an advanced stage of decomposition when found. “Based on our initial investigation, the presence of maggots suggests the victims had been dead for around two to three days,” he stated.
Police recovered a bladed weapon, identified as a butcher’s knife, believed to have been used in the crime.
The primary suspect is the victims’ father, who has not been seen since the incident. Investigators revealed that the suspect and the teenage mother had recently reunited in the barangay on April 15, following a prior argument—believed to have stemmed from jealousy.
“The child had deep wounds to the neck, with only some skin keeping the head attached to the body,” PSSg. Cagna-an described. “The mother appeared to have tried to resist, as she had defensive wounds on her hands, but the fatal blows were concentrated on the neck and face.”
Authorities are continuing the search for the suspect, who may face two counts of parricide.
