A painful two-month wait is finally coming to an end for the family of Irene Wanjiru Mbugua, the Kenyan caregiver tragically killed in Birmingham, UK. Her funeral is now scheduled, offering a bittersweet moment of closure for her grieving loved ones.
Irene—a devoted single mother of four from Mataara, Gatundu North in Kiambu—had relocated to the UK in 2023 to provide a better life for her children. She had only just reunited with her twin sons and eldest child when tragedy struck during a caregiving shift in Winson Green, Birmingham.
Working alone, Irene missed her mandatory check-in—something unusual for her. Alarmed colleagues and family raised concern. By 1 a.m. on June 23, police forced entry into the residence and discovered her lifeless body. A post-mortem confirmed blunt force trauma to the head as the cause of death. A man in his 30s, the very patient she was caring for, was arrested at the scene on suspicion of murder.
The delay in repatriating her remains weighed heavily on her family’s hearts. As her brother Gilbert Mbugua explained, “She had just brought her twins to the UK. She was so happy,” adding that the sudden loss was a devastating blow for them.
Now, after weeks of grief and waiting, the family will finally lay Irene to rest—an opportunity to mourn, honor her life, and find closure. Though she won’t return home, she will be surrounded by her children and loved ones in a ceremony close to their hearts.
