Ahmed Kamel – Egypt Daily News
Egypt was left stunned this week as authorities revealed the chilling details behind the deaths of a father and his six children in the village of Delga, located in the Deir Mawas district of Minya Governorate. The case, which gripped public attention nationwide, has now been officially ruled a calculated mass poisoning committed by the children’s stepmother.
According to a statement released by the Egyptian Ministry of Interior on Sunday, intensive investigations have confirmed that the father’s second wife was responsible for the tragic deaths. The woman, driven by jealousy and a desire for revenge, laced the family’s bread with a toxic substance during a meal that became their last.
The motive, as uncovered by investigators, centered on a deeply rooted family dispute. The father had recently reconciled with his first wife, restoring her to his marital home, a move that reportedly triggered fear and resentment in the second wife, who believed she would soon be cast aside. Acting on this fear, she set in motion a deadly plan to eliminate her perceived rivals once and for all.
On what seemed to be an ordinary day, the family gathered for a meal that included “shamsi bread,” a traditional staple in Upper Egypt. Within hours, the household descended into chaos as one child after another began experiencing symptoms of poisoning, severe nausea, fever, profuse sweating, and weakness. The father also fell ill.
Ali Mohamed, the uncle of the deceased children, recounted the harrowing moments in an interview with Al Arabiya and Al Hadath. “The first child collapsed and was rushed to the hospital. Then another followed, then a third. We couldn’t understand what was happening,” he said. “They were fine in the morning.”
Despite efforts to save them, the children began to pass away one by one. The sixth child was under observation at the hospital, clinging to life, before eventually succumbing to the same fate as her siblings. In a matter of hours, the family of seven had been wiped out.
Initially, rumors swirled that the children had died from meningitis, sparking widespread concern. However, Egypt’s Ministry of Health quickly moved to quell the speculation, issuing a formal statement confirming that laboratory tests on blood, urine, and spinal fluid samples ruled out any infectious disease. Tests on the household’s water supply also confirmed it met safety standards.
The true cause came to light after police uncovered inconsistencies in statements and conducted forensic tests. Under interrogation, the stepmother eventually broke down and confessed. Her revelations were as shocking as the crime itself.
In her own words, she admitted:
- She deliberately poisoned the bread served to the entire family.
- The motive was revenge, she couldn’t accept her husband’s reconciliation with his former wife.
- She feared being abandoned and losing her place in the household.
- In an attempt to avoid suspicion, she attended the funerals of her victims, crying and pretending to grieve.
- She tried to appear heartbroken to deflect blame and conceal her role in the murders.
According to sources close to the investigation, the woman showed little remorse during questioning, calmly explaining how she had carried out the crime and watched the aftermath unfold. Her participation in the funeral processions shocked the community, who had initially seen her as a grieving member of the family.
Legal proceedings are now underway, with prosecutors launching a full investigation. Charges of premeditated murder are expected, and the case is likely to become one of the most high-profile domestic crimes Egypt has witnessed in recent years.
The incident has sparked intense public debate over mental health, domestic conflict, and the importance of community intervention in volatile family dynamics. As the village of Delga buries seven of its own, the nation reflects on a tragedy that underscores how jealousy, left unchecked, can spiral into unfathomable horror.
