A man arrested following the murder of an eight-year-old girl is believed to have attacked her mother in a row over a mobile phone, according to reports.
Malika Noor Al Katib died after she was stabbed in the neck at her home in County Wexford, Ireland, on Sunday evening.
Police understand she was asleep when the argument began downstairs and she intervened to protect her mother.
But the knifeman then turned the weapon on the little girl, stabbing Malika at least twice, The Irish Independent has reported.
Her mother Alish Al Katib, 31, was stabbed in the chest in the horror attack but managed to raise the alarm.
Malika was rushed to University Hospital Waterford at around 11.45pm on Sunday but died early on Monday morning.
A 34-year-old man, believed to have been known to the mother and daughter, was arrested on suspicion of Malika’s murder on December 2.
Imam Rashid Munir of the Waterford Al-Munir Islamic Centre said he had spoken with Malika’s mother who is ‘not in very good shape at the moment’.
Malika Noor Al Katib, 8, died after she suffered stab wounds in the early hours of Monday morning
The area remained cordoned off after the attack on Sunday night as Garda investigate Malika’s death
He told RTÉ: ‘She witnessed her child being murdered in front of her eyes and that is not easy.’
Imam Munir said Malika’s mother was being treated in hospital for injuries that are not thought to be life threatening.
He described Malika as a ‘lovely child’ and a ‘beautiful girl’ who used to come to his Islamic Centre.
‘She was like any eight-year-old. She was extremely smiley and showed a lot of interest in learning about Islam and did very well in her studies, Imam Munir said.
She wanted to be integrated in the community and do something extraordinary.’
Local councillor John Dwyer told the Irish Daily Mail that he had spoken directly with family members of the girl and that they were ‘inconsolable with grief’.
He said: ‘The whole community is numbed by this. It’s an absolute tragedy. I was speaking with family members who are just devastated, as you can imagine.
‘It’s an eight-year-old child killed like this. It’s just so heartbreaking.
‘The news went around the town like wildfire, as you can imagine. My thoughts are with the family here and we’ll do what we can to help them.’
Therese White, principal of New Ross Educate Together National School, where the young girl was a pupil, said her death is a ‘terrible tragedy’. ‘We learned this morning of the death of a student who attends our school,’ she said in a statement.
Garda at the scene in New Ross, County Wexford where the stabbing took place
‘This is a terrible tragedy for the family, our school and our community. We are deeply saddened by these events. Our sympathy and thoughts are with family and friends.
‘The school has implemented our critical incident management plan and we are in receipt of support from the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS).
‘They have been with us all day supporting and advising teachers in their efforts to assist students at this time. Our teachers are helping students to deal with this tragic event.
‘We will be sharing information with parents today around how they can support their children at this difficult time.’
A Garda spokesperson previously said: ‘Gardai are appealing to anyone who may have any information on this incident to come forward.
‘Anyone with information is asked to contact New Ross Garda Station on 051 426 030, the Garda Confidential Line on (1800) 666 111 or any Garda Station.’
