Delaware State Police have taken into custody 49-year-old Badara Kone from Smyrna on charges of killing his 10-year-old daughter, Fatima Kone, along with ongoing physical abuse of two other children in the household.
Officers were called to a home on Oakwynn Circle in Smyrna around 2:00 a.m. on May 28, 2026, where they discovered Fatima dead in her bedroom. The Delaware State Police Homicide Unit was brought in to assist with the investigation after the initial response.
According to investigators, Badara repeatedly hit Fatima with a leather belt on May 27, 2026, claiming it was discipline, which resulted in severe physical harm. Authorities say the child fell during the beating and likely struck her head against furniture. Her siblings helped bring her to her bedroom after the attack, where she was later discovered dead, though emergency services weren’t contacted for a significant amount of time.
Two male siblings, ages 15 and 11, were taken to a nearby hospital for precautionary health checks during the investigation. Medical examinations there provided evidence that both boys had suffered repeated physical abuse.
Badara was brought to Troop 2 on May 28, 2026, where he faced charges related to the abuse of the male children. Justice of the Peace Court 3 arraigned him and he was held at the Delaware Department of Correction with a $17,000 cash bond.
The charges for the abuse of the boys include:
- Continuous Child Abuse Intentionally/Recklessly Engages in 3 or More Acts – 2 Counts (Felony)
- Child Abuse Fourth Degree – 8 counts
The Delaware Division of Forensic Science performed an autopsy on Fatima’s body, determining her death was a homicide resulting from multiple blunt-force trauma.
The Delaware Department of Justice approved murder charges on June 1, 2026. A warrant was issued and Badara appeared before Justice of the Peace Court 2, where he remained in Delaware Department of Correction custody with a $180,000 cash bond.
The murder charge is:
- Murder by Abuse or Neglect Second Degree (Felony)
The Delaware State Police Homicide Unit is continuing their investigation. Investigators are requesting anyone with information about this case or the Kone family to reach out to Captain J. Laird at (302) 741-2727 or Detective M. Csapo at (302) 741-2729. Tips can also be submitted through private Facebook messages to the Delaware State Police or by contacting Delaware Crime Stoppers at (800) 847-3333.
Victims or witnesses of crimes, or those who have lost loved ones to sudden death and need support, can access the Delaware State Police Victim Services Unit / Delaware Victim Center 24 hours a day at 1-800-VICTIM-1 (1-800-842-8461). The Victim Services Unit can also be reached by email at [email protected].
