 Inset: Helena Little (Fairfax County Police Department). Background: The 2300 block of Dulles Station Boulevard in McNair, Va. (Google Maps).
A woman in northern Virginia is accused of stabbing her mother in the neck, killing her, and then leaving her on the floor of her apartment while she left with their dog.
Helena Little, 31, has been charged with second-degree murder in the death of her mother, 79-year-old Norma Little. The suspect is being held in the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center, the Fairfax County Police Department announced.
Love true crime? Sign up for our newsletter, The Law&Crime Docket, to get the latest real-life crime stories delivered right to your inbox.
It was about 10 a.m. on Tuesday, and a caregiver for the older woman was coming to her home on the 2300 block of Dulles Station Boulevard in McNair, Virginia, to check on her. When the caregiver stepped inside the apartment, she made a startling discovery.
Norma Little had stab wounds to her upper body, including her neck, police say. She was on the floor under an overturned recliner chair, and the apartment was a mess. The caregiver called police, and they noticed a strong smell of cleaning products when they arrived, per court documents reviewed by local Fox affiliate WTTG.
Detectives began investigating. An autopsy revealed the victim died from sharp force trauma to the neck. Then came the matter of who did it.
Investigators learned that in addition to having a caregiver, Norma Little was assisted by her two adult children, especially because she had limited mobility. Officers scoured the area for evidence — and are said to have found the keys to their case through video footage, key fob activity, and witness statements.
Helena Little had allegedly left the apartment with a backpack and the family’s dog and did not return. Police identified her as the suspect in her mother’s death, and she was arrested about 5 miles away in Reston, Virginia.
The defendant is currently being held on no bond.
Fairfax County is located just west of Washington, D.C.
