In Cobb County, Georgia, the US justice system has handed down a life sentence to Shekinah Akba, who confessed to murdering her five-year-old daughter in February 2020. The mother claimed to have performed an exorcism on the little girl to free her from evil spirits. After calling the emergency services, the mother justified the girl’s condition with blows caused by neighbors who had locked her in the bathroom. However, she later confessed to having tortured her daughter for at least twelve hours, causing severe injuries, including biting and suffocation. The girl lost consciousness and could not be saved by doctors due to the lack of a tracheal cannula necessary for her breathing that had been removed. The prosecution denounced the betrayal of Akba, the person who was supposed to protect and love her daughter unconditionally.
Akba pleaded guilty, but her defense argued that their client was mentally ill. They will file an appeal against the life sentence imposed. This case illustrates the extreme cruelty that some people can fall into, even towards their closest loved ones. It also highlights the need to recognize and treat mental illness to prevent such atrocities in the future. The ensuing tragedy is unfathomable, and its consequences will last forever.