Virginia woman stabs mother to death, flees with family dog: police

A Virginia woman was arrested on murder charges in the stabbing death of her mother earlier this week, officials announced Friday.

Helena Little, 31, is accused of murdering her mother, 79-year-old Norma Little, in the woman’s apartment in McNair, about 25 miles east of downtown Washington, DC.

Fairfax County police officers found the body around 10 a.m. Tuesday after the victim’s caretaker discovered her unconscious and called 911.

Norma Little was found under an overturned recliner with multiple upper body injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene. An autopsy later determined she died from blunt force trauma to the neck, according to court documents reviewed by Fox 5 DC. His death was ruled a homicide.

Detectives from the Major Crimes Bureau launched an investigation and identified Helena Little as a suspect after conducting interviews, analyzing surveillance video and processing evidence from the scene.

Security camera footage indicates Helena left the apartment after the stabbing, carrying a backpack and the family dog, according to court documents.

She was arrested Thursday afternoon in Reston, about 5 miles away, police said. She was charged with second-degree murder and is now being held without bail at the Fairfax County Detention Center.

Helena is scheduled to appear in court Jan. 5, where a judge will decide whether the case will go to a grand jury, according to Fairfax County news site FFXnow.

Helena Little and an adult sibling reportedly lived in the apartment with their mother, who had mobility issues and relied on her children and a caretaker for help, Fox 5 reported.

We do not know exactly what motivated this deadly violence. The investigation into the incident is ongoing.