Alleged Attempted Filicide in Aweil West
Police in Northern Bahr el Ghazal State are searching for 30-year-old Akon Tong Akol, accused of trying to hang her five-year-old son on Friday in Maduany payam.
A neighbor intervened and rescued the boy, who is now treated at Aweil Civil Hospital, while the suspect fled the scene and remains at large, authorities confirmed.
Eyewitness Account and Ongoing Shock
“What happened is surprising,” said the child’s uncle, John Garang Mou. “She tried to hang the child, and neighbors saved him.” The unprecedented incident has stunned Maduany’s residents.
Garang added that the motive remains unclear, though some villagers claim the mother received phone calls from an unknown person shortly before the event.
Cultural Beliefs and Economic Strain
Locals quietly debate whether sorcery, supernatural pressure, or harsh economic stress pushed the mother toward violence, reflecting broader anxieties in rural South Sudan.
Analysts say persistent financial hardship can erode mental health and parental responsibility, sometimes leading to extreme behavior in already fragile communities.
Calls for Calm and Accountability
Elders urge restraint, asking youth to locate the suspect without ridicule so investigators can understand her state of mind and bring appropriate justice.
Police continue house-to-house inquiries, stressing that the child’s safety is secured and that community cooperation is crucial to resolve the case swiftly.