Update State Police Conducting Death Investigation of a 10-year-old in Smyrna

Date Posted: Tuesday, June 2nd, 2026

Graphic titled “Homicide Investigation” showing a Delaware State Police detective and trooper at a staged crime scene with police vehicles and yellow crime scene tape overlaying the image. A silhouette map of Delaware appears on the left, the text “BecomeATrooper.com” on the bottom center, and social media icons are shown at the bottom right corner.

The Delaware State Police has arrested 49-year-old Badara Kone of Smyrna, Delaware, for the murder of his 10-year-old daughter, Fatima Kone, and the continuous child abuse of two additional children.

On May 28, 2026, at approximately 2:00 a.m., troopers responded to a residence on Oakwynn Circle in Smyrna where Fatima Kone was found deceased in her bedroom. During the initial investigation, responding troopers requested assistance from the Delaware State Police Homicide Unit.

The preliminary investigation revealed that on May 27, 2026, Badara struck Fatima numerous times with a leather belt, as self-described discipline, causing serious physical injury. While being struck, the child fell to the ground and is believed to have hit her head on a piece of furniture. Following the assault, her siblings in the home assisted the victim to her bedroom. She was later found deceased, but 9-1-1 was not notified for an extended period of time.

During the investigation, the two male siblings, a 15-year-old and an 11-year-old, were transported to an area hospital for precautionary wellness evaluations. There, detectives obtained evidence supporting the fact that the children had been continuously physically abused.

On May 28, 2026, Badara was taken to Troop 2, where he was charged with the offenses listed below for the abuse of the male children. He was arraigned by the Justice of the Peace Court 3 and committed to the Delaware Department of Correction on a $17,000 cash bond.

Mugshot of Badara Kone

Continuous Child Abuse Intentionally/Recklessly Engages in 3 or More Acts – 2 Counts (Felony)
Child Abuse Fourth Degree – 8 counts

Fatima’s body was turned over to the Delaware Division of Forensic Science, where an autopsy classified the death as a homicide caused by multiple blunt-force injuries.

On June 1, 2026, the Delaware Department of Justice authorized charges for the murder of Fatima. A warrant was approved, and Badara was arraigned by the Justice of the Peace Court 2. He remained in custody of the Delaware Department of Correction on a $180,000 cash bond.

Murder by Abuse or Neglect Second Degree (Felony)

The Delaware State Police Homicide Unit continues its investigation. Detectives ask that anyone with relevant information about this case or the Kone family to contact Captain J. Laird at (302) 741-2727 or Detective M. Csapo at (302) 741-2729. Information may also be provided by sending a private Facebook message to the Delaware State Police or contacting Delaware Crime Stoppers at (800) 847-3333.

If you or someone you know is a victim or witness of a crime or has lost a loved one to a sudden death and needs assistance, the Delaware State Police Victim Services Unit / Delaware Victim Center. is available to offer you support and resources 24 hours a day through a toll-free hotline at 1-800-VICTIM-1 (1-800-842-8461). You may also email the Victim Services Unit at DSP_VictimServicesMail@delaware.gov.

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