Benin: A Muslim couple and their baby found dead on Tabaski day in Cotonou
It is a shocking discovery that has plunged the Dégakon neighborhood in Akpakpa, in the 1st district of Cotonou, into deep sadness.
Drame@bwt
On Friday, June 6, 2025, the day of the Tabaski celebration, the lifeless bodies of a Muslim couple and their infant were found in their home, under still unclear circumstances.
According to initial reports, it was a family member who made the grim discovery. The mother was lying in the hallway, not far from the door, while the father and the infant were found unresponsive on the bed in the bedroom. In a short video shared by local sources, the father is seen with one hand on the baby, as if in a final attempt to protect him.
The day before the tragedy, June 5, several neighbors claim to have seen the small family in perfect health. The father even reportedly went to the mosque, with nothing indicating such a tragic outcome.
Investigation Opened, Autopsy Ongoing
Authorities immediately opened an investigation to shed light on this tragedy. The bodies were sent to the morgue on judicial instruction, and an autopsy was ordered to determine the exact causes of death.
Although Muslim tradition demands a quick burial, the family has agreed to suspend the funeral rites pending the conclusions of the investigation, hoping to understand what could have cost them their lives.
The couple leaves behind several children, now orphaned.