Father in Custody After Five-Year-Old Girl Dies in Alleged Assault at Mim

A man is being held by police at Mim, in the Asunafo North Municipality of the Ahafo Region, after his five-year-old daughter died in what is being described as an alleged case of domestic violence, as first reported by Graphic Online.

The father was arrested following the incident and is helping police with their investigations. The girl's mother was also taken in for questioning but was reportedly freed after initial interviews.

Police have not announced any formal charges against the father.

According to the report, the incident happened on the evening of Sunday, November 8, 2026, after an argument between the child's parents allegedly turned violent.

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Witness accounts cited in media reports claim the father assaulted the girl and then flung her in the direction of her mother. The mother is said to have stepped aside, and the child hit the ground hard. The girl, who attended Mim M/A Basic School, died a short time later.

The Ahafo Regional Police Command has also begun a separate inquiry into a claim that a health facility in the town failed to give the injured child emergency treatment.

The girl's mother alleged that she took her daughter quickly to Life-Care Hospital at Mim, but that staff would not attend to them because the child's condition was so serious.

The Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection has noted the allegation and asked the relevant health regulators to look into what happened. The Ministry said any child facing a medical emergency has a right to immediate care that could save their life, and that any failure to provide it must be dealt with.

In a statement dated November 10, 2026, the Ministry condemned the girl's death and called for the matter to be investigated thoroughly and without delay.

It said the Department of Social Welfare and the Domestic Violence Secretariat were collaborating with the police and the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU) on the case.

Social welfare officers are to be sent to the Asunafo North Municipality to offer psychosocial support to the grieving family and to check on the safety and welfare of the other children in the home, the Ministry said.

It added that it plans to work with the Municipal Assembly, the Ghana Education Service and community leaders in Mim to offer counselling where needed.

The Ministry stressed that violence against children, especially at home, should not be regarded as a private family affair. It pointed to the Children's Act, 1998 (Act 560), the Domestic Violence Act, 2007 (Act 732) and the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29), saying anyone found responsible should face the law.

The Ministry appealed to teachers, religious and traditional leaders and the wider public to report suspected child abuse. It asked anyone with such concerns to contact the nearest police station, DOVVSU office or Social Welfare Department.