Malika Jones Barnard college student stabs mom to death. Did a a student attending a prestigious college intentionally stab her mother or was it self defense?
A Barnard College student is alleged to have stabbed to death her mother as the two argued about the young woman returning to classes, authorities said.
Malika Jones, 22, was arrested Feb. 16 and charged with first-degree murder after she knifed her 57-year-old mom, Inell Jones, in the chest in the kitchen of their Rahway, NJ, home, cops said.
The mother and daughter had argued multiple times that day on Jones’ ‘living situation’ and the young woman going back to school, authorities said. She had been on academic leave from Barnard since last spring and was taking classes at Borough of Manhattan Community College before an expected return to the all-female school, her lawyer told the nypost.
While on leave, Jones went to live in the small Rahway home where she was raised, mostly by her hairstylist mother after her parents divorced.
2nd fatal stabbing in recent months involving Barnard college student:
The stabbing death of the Barnard college student’s mother follows the recent stabbing death of another ivy league student, Tess Majors – who NYC detectives claim was murdered as she tried to ‘score’ drugs along the periphery of Morningside Park, steps from her prestigious school.
Raising the awkward question, how ivy league are the students attending Barnard?
Contemplated one outlet: ‘Both murders throw shade on Ivy Barnard. What student, parent, graduate, professor, or administrator wants his or her institution of higher learning associated with murders. Two, in fact.’
City Councilman Ydanis Rodriguez, a former high school teacher who represents parts of northern Manhattan, said that he saw the two cases as completely separate. He cautioned against jumping to any larger conclusion.
“When you have something like this, there’s always concern but I feel it’s an isolated case that doesn’t reflect the environment of Barnard,’ Rodriguez told via the nytimes.
‘She loved her mother very much….’
George Mars, a 72-year-old tenant in the home, told police he heard the mom and daughter fighting that day, starting at 7 a.m., according to a prosecutor’s affidavit.
That afternoon, Mars told authorities that the mother yelled that the daughter ‘cut herself’ and needed to go the hospital, only for the elder Jones then spending about 20 minutes filling bags with canned goods for donations, the affidavit stated.
Mars told police that he then heard what sounded like dishes breaking in the kitchen and, about 20 minutes later, he said Malika Jones came toward him yelling, ‘She tried to hurt me.’
The daughter called police shortly after 3 p.m. and her mother was pronounced dead at 3:28 pm. Malika had a superficial cut on her wrist, according to the affidavit. A large common kitchen knife was found near the body the affidavit stated.
Jones’ attorney insists the daugher acted in self-defense and ‘loved her mother very much.’
‘We believe that this is a case of self-defense,’ said Dennis Hickerson-Breedon, Jones’ lawyer via the nypost. He said Jones ‘loved her mother very much.’
‘For a young woman that has been a model student, model citizen with no criminal history whatsoever, to just all of the sudden be charged with a first-degree offense without any sort of justification — it’s just not practicable,’ he said.
Hickerson-Breedon would not address why Jones was on leave from the school.
Jones attended the private Gill St. Bernard’s school where she competed on a robotics team and made the honor roll. She won an early decision acceptance to Barnard, a prestigious college that is part of Columbia University.
In social media posts, Jones is seen posing with Barnard’s dean of admission in 2017 during a visit to the dean’s home and dressed up and on the town with friends.
News of the stabbing shocked those who knew her.
Jones’ friends posted tributes on Instagram along with the hashtag justice4malika.
‘Malika is a beautiful, gentle, creative, hilarious, smart, thoughtful and kind person,’ said Phanesia Pharel. ‘She is working to be a doctor. She is an amazing actress. She is one of the only people I met in college who have always been genuine and kind. I wouldn’t have made it through the summer, through sophomore year or my junior fall without her.’
Posted another friend, ‘She has so many people who love her including myself. … My heart is shattered by this tragedy and I miss having her by my side.’
Jones remains held in Union County Jail.
