Mother Stabs 10-Year-Old Daughter While She Sleeps in Port Loko

A woman in Port Loko is alleged to have stabbed her 10-year-old daughter while the child was asleep, leaving her with a deep throat injury on 3 December 2025.

According to Chernor Jorgor Timbo, Assistant Director at the Ministry of Gender and Children’s Affairs in Port Loko District, the incident was reported early in the morning by a social worker attached to the Family Support Unit (FSU). The child, identified as Ismatu Kargbo, was rushed to the Port Loko Government Hospital while bleeding heavily from the neck.

Timbo said the Ministry, together with the Amazonian Initiative Movement (AIM) and other child-protection responders, quickly mobilised to secure the girl’s medical care. She was admitted to the emergency unit, underwent surgery, and was later referred to the Kambia District Hospital for additional examinations, including an X-ray.

Police responded promptly and arrested the suspect, Lucy Conteh, who remains in custody as investigations continue.

Witness accounts from individuals familiar with the family suggest the mother may have a history of violence and was previously imprisoned in connection with a stabbing involving a former fiancé. There are also claims that she may be experiencing mental health challenges, though Timbo emphasised that only a medical assessment can determine that.

He added that Conteh had previously trained as a Maternal and Child Health Aide (MCHA) and as a State Registered Nurse before reportedly developing mental health issues.

“Our duty as a ministry is to respond to the child’s welfare,” Timbo said. “We will ensure she receives full medical attention and is placed in a safe environment as she recovers.”

The Ministry of Gender and Children’s Affairs said child-protection officials will continue to monitor the case closely while police investigations progress.