Federal marshals on Friday tracked a Bronx woman to a Castle Hill apartment complex, ending a multi-state search tied to the death of a 10-year-old girl in Smyrna, Delaware. Authorities say 36-year-old Adiaratou Coulibaly was taken into custody without incident, while the child’s father, arrested earlier, already faces a slate of criminal charges in Delaware.
Arrest in the Bronx
According to the U.S. Marshals Service, members of the First State Fugitive Task Force joined with the New York/New Jersey Regional Fugitive Task Force to locate Coulibaly at an apartment complex in the 500 block of Castle Hill Avenue in the Bronx. After New York investigators zeroed in on the address, task force members moved in and arrested her Friday without incident. The marshals say Delaware investigators had asked for help after a warrant was approved in the homicide probe.
Investigation in Smyrna
Delaware State Police say troopers were called to a residence on Oakwynn Circle in Smyrna on May 28, where 10-year-old Fatima Kone was found unresponsive in her bedroom. An autopsy by the Delaware Division of Forensic Science determined her death was a homicide caused by multiple blunt-force injuries. Detectives say evidence indicated Fatima and her two brothers had endured ongoing physical abuse, and the Homicide Unit, according to state police, is still actively investigating.
Where the case stands
According to NBC10 Philadelphia, Fatima’s father, 49-year-old Badara Kone, was arrested on May 28. He was initially hit with two counts of continuous child abuse and eight counts of fourth-degree child abuse. Prosecutors later authorized an additional charge of second-degree murder by abuse or neglect. NBC10 reported that Kone remains in custody on a total cash bond. First State Update reports that Coulibaly is being held at the Rose M. Singer Center on Rikers Island and is scheduled for her first New York court appearance on June 18.
Community reaction and next steps
Neighbors told television reporters the case has rattled the quiet Smyrna neighborhood, and a vigil was planned as residents mourned the 10-year-old girl. "I've been here for 12 years and we've never had anything like this happen before," one neighbor told the outlet. The coverage also noted that the Delaware State Police Homicide Unit is asking anyone with information to contact detectives or reach out to Delaware Crime Stoppers.
Legal implications
Per the U.S. Marshals Service, Coulibaly was wanted by Delaware State Police on a charge of second-degree murder by abuse or neglect tied to the May 27 incident. Delaware State Police say the Delaware Department of Justice authorized that murder charge on June 1, and investigators are continuing to build the case as prosecutors weigh their next steps.
