A Virginia woman was arrested for murder in the stabbing death of her mother earlier this week, officials announced Friday.
Helena Little, 31, is accused of killing her 79-year-old mother, Norma Little, at the woman’s apartment in McNair, about 25 miles east of downtown Washington, D.C.
Fairfax County police officers found the body around 10 a.m. Tuesday after the victim’s caretaker discovered her unresponsive and called 911.
Norma Little was found under an overturned recliner with multiple stab wounds to her upper body and was pronounced dead at the scene. An autopsy later determined she died from sharp force trauma to the neck, according to court documents reviewed by Fox 5 DC. Her death was ruled a homicide.
Major Crimes Bureau detectives launched an investigation and identified Helena Little as the suspect after conducting interviews, analyzing surveillance video and processing evidence from the scene.
Security camera footage indicates that Helena left the apartment after the stabbing, carrying a backpack and the family dog, according to court documents.
She was arrested Thursday afternoon in Reston, about 5 miles away, police said. She was charged with second-degree murder and is now being held without bond at the Fairfax County Detention Center.
Helena is scheduled to appear in court on Jan. 5, where a judge will decide whether the case goes to a grand jury, according to Fairfax County news site FFXnow.
Helena Little and an adult sibling reportedly lived in the apartment with their mother, who had mobility issues and relied on her children and a caretaker for assistance, Fox 5 reported.
It’s unclear what motivated the deadly violence. The investigation into the incident is ongoing.
