MANILA, Philippines - A woman’s death, initially believed to be a suicide, turned into a homicide investigation Thursday after a two-year-old boy showed his grandmother how his father allegedly killed his mother.
Shirley Mito filed a complaint before the Quezon City Police District yesterday over the death of her daughter Delaila de Guzman, 23, on May 11, said case investigator Police Officer 3 Hermogenes Capili.
Mito said she was initially informed that her daughter died after she hanged herself in their house in Barangay Old Balara.
She heard a different story, however, when she asked her two-year-old grandson to visit the wake of his mother.
The grandmother claimed that the boy refused to attend the wake due to his fear of his father, identified as Fortunato de Guzman, 26, who remains at large.
According to Mito, the child told her that his parents had an argument and even demonstrated how his father allegedly squeezed the neck of his mother using both of his hands.
The revelation prompted Mito to report what happened to authorities.
Capili said the death was not reported to the police and that the barangay only learned of the death during the wake.
The investigator said an autopsy of the victim’s body before she was buried showed that she had scratches on her arms as well as strangulation marks on her neck.