A girl who is turning 4 next week is fighting for her life in the hospital after her throat was slit by a man who had also killed her mother at their Caloocan City residence early Thursday morning.
The suspect, Jayson del Valle, a guest at the victims’ house in Barangay (village) 176, Camarin, tried to hide but was arrested hours after he killed Janelle Mangulabnan and wounded her daughter.
Quoting Del Valle’s confession, the police said the suspect, a friend of Mangulabnan’s live-in partner who is currently working abroad, was having a drink at her house when he tried to kiss Janelle.
She resisted and hit the suspect, who then reached for a knife at the kitchen.
Suspect didn’t escape
He cut Janelle’s throat and did the same to her crying child, according to the case investigator, PO3 Israel Albay of the Caloocan police.
Albay said the suspect did not flee and even took the time to clean the knife. Around 6 a.m., Mangulabnan’s father arrived after being unable to contact his daughter. He discovered the crime but did not see Del Valle, who by then had climbed up the bungalow’s ceiling to hide.
As Janelle and her daughter were brought to Tala hospital, Del Valle, despite being left alone in the house, couldn’t go out because the door was locked from outside.
He was again hiding in the ceiling when finally discovered and arrested around 3 p.m. on Thursday.
Still in ICU
Del Valle, an auto electrician, remained in detention as of Friday to face charges for murder and frustrated murder. The police are also checking if he used illegal drugs.
As of Friday night, the girl remained in the intensive care unit because of breathing problems, Albay said.
Initial findings indicated she might lose her ability to speak due to damaged vocal cords.
Her father, Janelle’s partner, is due to return from abroad on Monday.
