Police in Florida are actively investigating a homicide. April Oliva, a mom who lives in Milton, was found lying over the body of her young daughter. The girl had been stabbed repeatedly, and both were covered in blood. It was also discovered that Oliva had self-inflicted stab wounds that required hospitalization. Oliva’s relatives were the ones who notified police after she reportedly called them in what appeared to be an altered state. Understandably, they were concerned for her safety and that of her daughter, but when police arrived it was too late. A motive for the killing has not yet been established.
Deputies from the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office responded to a 911 call around midnight on February 25, 2026, according to a news release. A “cutting incident” was reported at a residence, authorities shared.
When deputies arrived at the home, they found 40-year-old Oliva lying with the body of a 6-year-old child. The child was declared dead at the scene.
Oliva called her sister around 11 p.m., according to an arrest report obtained by WEAR. Her sister described the call as “disturbing,” saying Oliva was “not making much sense, making comments about evil spirits and something bad happened.”
The sister told her roommate to call her dad, who immediately went over to Oliva’s home. He entered through an unlocked door and found Oliva and her daughter Valerie on the floor, both covered in blood, WEAR reported. Oliva kept saying “she’s dead,” the arrest report stated.
Valerie had multiple stab wounds, mostly to her neck. The medical examiner determined she had been stabbed more than 20 times. Oliva also had stab wounds to her neck and stomach. Chief Deputy Randy Tifft told WEAR that the wounds were self-inflicted. Oliva was taken to the hospital to be treated.
No one else was in the home at the time of the stabbing, WKRG reported. Her husband, Philip Oliva, the girl’s father, was out of town at the time.
Currently, Oliva is still in the hospital. When she is released, the sheriff’s office will conduct a proper interview with her. She will sit in Santa Rosa County Jail with no bond, per WKRG. The investigation is ongoing.
“This is a deeply tragic case, and our thoughts are with all those affected,” the sheriff’s office shared in the news release.
