A five-year-old boy who went missing on the evening of February 19 was found dead the following morning in a neighbor’s compound, less than 100 meters from his family’s home.

Politico reports that the victim, identified as Nursery 2 pupil Amin Bedor Bangura, was discovered lifeless inside a store on the property on the morning of February 20. Following a grim autopsy report detailing severe physical and sexual assault, local police arrested a suspect, Lucinda Conteh, on Wednesday, February 25.

According to the family, who had recently relocated to the White Stone Garage area of Waterloo, Amin went missing after being sent to call his elder brother, Mohamed, home from playing. When Mohamed returned alone, the family immediately began a frantic search.

Amin’s grandmother, Agnes Labor Kamara, and other family members searched local playgrounds, neighboring compounds, and neighborhood mosques throughout the night. A formal missing person’s report was filed at the local Waterloo police station by 8:00 p.m. that evening.

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The search ended the following morning when a neighbor, Samuel Williams, directed the family to a store within his compound, where the child’s body was discovered.

According to the victim’s nephew, Kweku Aidoo, Williams reported hearing a child crying during the night. However, Williams was reportedly reassured by his tenant, Lucinda Conteh, that everything was fine, despite the fact that Conteh does not have any children living with her.

An autopsy report dated February 23, 2026, revealed the horrific circumstances of the child’s death. The medical examination concluded that Amin suffered a “severe brutal, horrific and fatal physical assault,” which included:

Blunt Force Trauma: Multiple fractures and injuries to the head, chest, and left upper extremity.

Spinal Damage: Extensive dislocation fractures of the entire spine, corresponding with severe spinal cord damage.

Skull Trauma: Extensive skull fractures.

Strangulation and Assault: Manual strangulation with fingernail excoriation, alongside evidence of anal penetration.

Following the discovery and the autopsy results, authorities detained Lucinda Conteh, the tenant living in the compound where the body was found. Police have currently declined to provide further comments, citing the active, ongoing nature of the investigation.

The victim’s family is publicly demanding accountability. Amin’s father, Mohamed Bedor Bangura, warned of the danger to the community if the crime goes unpunished. “I want justice for my child,” he stated. “If the perpetrator goes unpunished, there is every tendency for the individual to carry out similar acts against another parent.”

Amin Bedor Bangura would have turned six years old on May 22 of this year.