Shocking Discovery in Milton Home
A devastating incident unfolded late Tuesday night in Milton, Florida, when deputies from the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office were called to a residence on a “cutting incident” report. Inside the home, authorities found a 6-year-old girl deceased with multiple stab wounds, and her mother lying beside her with injuries that appeared self-inflicted, according to investigators.
Mother Charged After Child’s Death
Police have charged 40-year-old April Oliva with second-degree murder in connection with the fatal stabbing of her daughter, identified as Valerie. Officials say the young girl suffered more than 20 stab wounds, including to her neck, and was pronounced dead at the scene. Oliva, who was found with cuts to her neck and stomach, was taken to a hospital in stable condition and remained under medical care at last report.
During the initial investigation, authorities learned that Oliva had placed a late-night call to her sister, making “disturbing” comments about **“evil spirits” and that something bad had happened,” according to the arrest report. Concerned relatives then alerted other family members, who discovered the scene when they arrived at the house.
Family Response and Legal Proceedings
The child’s father was reportedly out of town for work at the time of the incident. There were no other individuals present in the home when deputies arrived. Oliva made a brief court appearance via video from her hospital bed, where a judge appointed a public defender and set the next hearing for a pre-trial detention hearing. Once medically cleared, she is expected to be booked into the Santa Rosa County Jail.
Sheriff’s officials expressed sympathy for the family while noting the case is being treated as a murder investigation. It remains unclear whether Oliva has legal representation at this time.
