A 23-year-old woman in Sicily has been arrested after confessing to the murder of her four-year-old daughter, having initially claimed the child was snatched by hooded kidnappers. The body of Elena Del Pozzo was discovered in a field near her home in Mascalucia, in the province of Catania, on Tuesday.
Martina Patti had told police that three hooded men, one armed with a gun, opened her car door and abducted the girl after she collected her from nursery school. However, investigators quickly dismissed the kidnap story, noting that the family was not wealthy enough to be a target for organised crime.
During questioning, Patti admitted to the killing and led officers to the body, which had been hidden under earth and volcanic ash from Mount Etna. She has been charged with murder and concealing a corpse. Police revealed that Elena was killed with a kitchen knife, which has not yet been recovered, and described the crime as “horrendous” and committed in solitude.
According to reports, Patti may have been motivated by jealousy towards her ex-partner’s current girlfriend, whom she could not bear showing affection towards her daughter. The prosecutor noted “various inconsistencies” in the kidnap story before the confession. The defence lawyer, Gabriele Celesti, described the interrogation as dramatic, saying Patti was “a destroyed and tried woman.”
The mayor of Mascalucia, Enzo Magra, expressed shock, stating, “Upon hearing the news, I burst into tears. It is a unique drama that we never wanted to hear.”
