A woman who authorities said was sought in reference to the death of her 10-year-old daughter has been arrested in New York City, according to the U.S. Marshals Service.
Members of the U.S. Marshals Service First State Fugitive Task Force and the New York/New Jersey Regional Fugitive Task Force apprehended 39-year-old Adiaratou Coulibaly on Friday at an apartment complex in the 500 block of Castle Hill Avenue in the Bronx. Authorities said she was taken into custody without incident.
Officials said Coulibaly was wanted by the Delaware State Police on a charge of second-degree murder by abuse or neglect related to the death of her stepdaughter, 10-year-old Fatima Kone, in Smyrna.
New York court records reviewed by First State Update do not specify the reason for Coulibaly’s arrest and do not list any charges associated with her detention. Additionally, no active warrant for Coulibaly currently appears in Delaware’s public warrant search database. Court records indicate she is being held at the Rose M. Singer Center on Rikers Island and is scheduled to make her first court appearance on June 18.
The arrest follows an investigation that began on May 28 when Delaware State Police responded to a residence on Oakwynn Circle at approximately 2 a.m. after Fatima was found deceased in her bedroom. Detectives with the Delaware State Police Homicide Unit were called to assist with the investigation.
According to investigators, the child’s father, 49-year-old Badara Kone, struck Fatima numerous times with a leather belt on May 27 as a form of discipline, causing serious physical injuries. Authorities said the child fell during the assault and is believed to have struck her head on a piece of furniture. Afterward, her siblings helped her to her bedroom. Police said emergency services were not contacted for an extended period of time after she was later found unresponsive.
During the investigation, Fatima’s two brothers, ages 15 and 11, were taken to a local hospital for wellness evaluations. Detectives said evidence obtained during the investigation indicated the boys had been subjected to ongoing physical abuse.
Badara Kone was initially charged on May 28 with two counts of continuous child abuse and eight counts of fourth-degree child abuse related to the two boys. He was committed to the Delaware Department of Correction on a $17,000 cash bond.
An autopsy conducted by the Delaware Division of Forensic Science determined that Fatima’s death was a homicide caused by multiple blunt-force injuries. Following the findings, the Delaware Department of Justice authorized an additional charge of second-degree murder by abuse or neglect on June 1. Kone remains incarcerated on a total cash bond of $180,000.
After a warrant was issued for Adiaratou Coulibaly, the First State Fugitive Task Force requested assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service New York/New Jersey Regional Fugitive Task Force on June 4. Investigators located her in the Bronx and arrested her Friday.
