Nimba County – Mehnla, a peaceful farming community in Nimba County about 20 kilometers from Saclepea, has fallen into mourning after three young children were allegedly killed by their grandmother. Police say the incident is connected to rising family tensions and accusations of witchcraft.
Officers of the Liberia National Police (LNP) detained Mary Giah, the suspect in the killings of her three grandchildren at Mehnla Town, District 9, where she is thought to be between 61 and 62 years old based on conflicting police reports.
Early on Sunday morning, February 22, the tragedy allegedly took place inside the family’s thatched-roof house. It was one of the darkest mornings in the town’s history, according to the locals. Mehnla is not used to this kind of violence, as neighbors share agricultural products and kids run free between houses.
The victims, who were thought to be her daughter’s children, ranged in age from four to eight, according to police sources. They were found with many stab wounds that were reportedly caused by a knife and razor blade inside their grandmother’s home.
Authorities attested to the fact that the deceased had obvious wounds. The LNP named the deceased minors as Melvina Ziansaye, a 4-year-old girl; Walalenon Tokpah, a 2-year-old boy; and Menwaseh Giah, a 6-year-old boy, in its official statement.
Melvina Ziansaye, a 4-year-old girl, Walalenon Tokpah, a 2-year-old boy, and Menwaseh Giah, a 6-year-old boy, are the names of the deceased minors. The three children’s bodies were found within their grandmother’s home.
The victims’ visible injuries were noted by the authorities. In a statement released through its press bureau, the police said, “The remains of the deceased are currently being processed in accordance with investigative procedures, while suspect Mary Giah remains in police custody, undergoing further investigation.”
A preliminary investigation indicates that suspect Mary Giah escaped to a nearby town after the crime, but she was later caught by police soon after it was reported. Investigators revealed that Giah allegedly confessed to the murders while being questioned. According to police sources, the suspect also stated that she was motivated to act in this way by persistent charges of witchcraft made against her by her daughter’s boyfriend.
The LNP offered the lost families its sincere sympathies and reassured the public that a comprehensive inquiry is underway to guarantee that justice is done.
