Benin: he kills his 16-month-old child, seriously injures his wife, and attempts to commit suicide.

A family drama shook the village of Namoutchaga on Tuesday, June 16, 2026, in the Datori arrondissement, Cobly municipality, in northwestern Benin. A young farmer, 26 years old, is suspected of violently attacking his wife and their 16-month-old child, according to reports from Banouto.

The exact circumstances of this tragedy are still to be established. According to the first available information, the man allegedly first harmed his wife at their family home. Seriously injured, the victim was urgently evacuated to the Saint-Jean de Dieu hospital in Tanguiéta, where she was admitted for treatment.

After this initial assault, the suspect then reportedly turned on their young son. The child, only 16 months old, did not survive. He was found dead, his throat slit. The tragedy has deeply shocked the locality of Namoutchaga, where law enforcement and emergency services were quickly alerted.

The alleged perpetrator was also found injured. According to Banouto, he attempted to commit suicide by stabbing himself in the abdomen. He was taken to a medical facility for treatment under police supervision. His health condition will determine when he can be interrogated and presented to the competent judicial authorities.

The first investigations were carried out at the scene by investigators from the Republican Police, in the presence of a forensic doctor. With the authorization of the judicial authorities, the child’s body was handed over to the family for burial.

An investigation has been opened to determine the precise circumstances of the tragedy, as well as the motivations that may have led to this family tragedy.