Detectives from Mathira West have recovered the body of nine-year-old Shantel Waruguru Kagema from a pit latrine in Kianjathi village, following her mysterious disappearance on February 8, 2026.
On that morning, Shantel’s parents left home around 8 a.m., leaving her with her four-year-old sister.
When they returned at approximately 6:30 p.m., Shantel was missing.
The family immediately alerted law enforcement, triggering a search that uncovered Shantel’s undergarments and shoes on an old blue mattress in a nearby abandoned house.
Her mother confirmed the items belonged to her daughter.
Crime Scene Investigation officers documented and collected the items as evidence.
Police intelligence quickly led to the arrest of Peter Njuguna, a local resident. Upon interrogation, Njuguna directed detectives to the pit latrine where he had disposed of Shantel’s body.
Members of the public assisted in retrieving the child, and the body was taken to the mortuary for preservation and autopsy.
Preliminary investigations revealed that Njuguna had lured Shantel’s younger sister out of the house with Sh10 to buy sweets.
While the sister was away, Njuguna remained with Shantel and committed a heinous act before discarding her body in the latrine.
Upon presentation in court, detectives secured a 21-day custodial order to allow for further investigations.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) Creaffirmed its commitment to protecting vulnerable members of society, stating: “This heinous crime against innocent Shantel Waruguru Kagema is not just an attack on one family but an assault on the very fabric of our communities and our collective conscience.
We stand with Shantel’s grieving family and every parent across this nation in declaring that perpetrators of such unspeakable acts against children will face the full force of the law.
