Tragic Malika Noor Al Katib died after her throat was slit in front of her mother in a feud that began due to her social media use, it has emerged.
As the police in Ireland continue to probe the suspect for the horror murder of the eight-year old, sources have claimed the man in question had returned to Ireland just days before the killing.
The suspect – who is a foreign national in his 30s – was recently released from prison in the UK, where he’d served a sentence for a fraud-related offence, reports the Irish Mirror.
He returned to New Ross in Co Wexford, where he had lived for several years before his jail sentence.
Sources say he returned to New Ross days prior to the incident, in which Malika and her mother Alisha Noor Al Katib were both stabbed in the family home on William Street, Wexford, on Sunday night.
“He only came back a matter of days before the stabbings,” a source told The Mirror.
“He had been serving a prison sentence in England. As soon as he got out, he came back to New Ross.”
It’s also been reported that Malika’s mum Alisha – who was stabbed several times in the incident – has told associates that the row that led to the attack began due to social media.
Sources say she indicated that the suspect was unhappy to hear that Alisha had access to social media platforms.
The source also confirmed that Malika, who was a student at New Ross Educate Together National School, was in bed when the row started at around 11.40pm on Sunday.
A source claimed Malika heard Alisha screaming and ran downstairs to see what was happening. When she reached the ground floor, she saw Alisha being stabbed and rushed to help her. But sources confirmed the man turned the knife on Malika and cut her throat in front of Alisha.
“Alisha tried to help Malika but she had been stabbed herself,” a source said. “But she managed to get to the front door where she screamed for help to the neighbours.”
The man then knifed himself, but received only a small wound. He was taken to University Hospital Waterford along with Malika and Alisha after the national police service of Ireland rushed to the scene when neighbours raised the alarm.
Medics fought tirelessly to save Malika, but she heartbreakingly died in the early hours of Monday morning. Alisha also received serious stab wounds, but will make a recovery. Local Imam Rashid Munir told The Mirror this morning that she will be attending Malika’s funeral.
Malika’s funeral had been planned for Wednesday, December 4, but Imam Munir said the childs’ body has not yet been released to the family and it is now expected to take place later this week.
He confirmed that under Islamic law, funerals must take place as soon as possible. Meanwhile, gardai are today still questioning the suspect on suspicion of Malika’s murder.
He was arrested on Tuesday afternoon following his discharge from hospital in Waterford.
The suspect was being held at a Garda station in Co Wexford, where police have 24 hours to question him. That period will run out later today.
Police confirmed the arrest in a statement on Tuesday. A spokeswoman said: “Gardaí continue to investigate all of the circumstances surrounding the death of an eight year old girl following a fatal assault at a residence in New Ross, Co. Wexford on Sunday 1st December, 2024.
“The postmortem examination which was conducted by State Pathologist, Dr. Sally Anne Collis took place yesterday Monday 2nd December, 2024 the results of which will not be released for operational reasons.
“A male, aged in his 30s has been released from hospital and arrested on suspicion of Murder. He is currently detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984 at a Garda Station in the Eastern Region. Investigating Gardaí are appealing to anyone who may have any information on this fatal assault to come forward. Anyone with information is asked to contact New Ross Garda Station on 051 426 030, the Garda Confidential Line on (1800) 666 111 or any Garda Station. This investigation is ongoing.”
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