In Rachuonyo South, Homa Bay County, Kenya, a 32-year-old woman has been apprehended by the police on the night of Saturday, January 13, 2024. She is accused of the heinous act of drowning her one-day-old infant in a pool of water and subsequently burying the child in a nearby farm.
The arrest was prompted by suspicions raised by neighbors who observed the prolonged absence of the woman and her child throughout the day. Alarmed by this, they reported their concerns to a village elder, leading Kamuma Sub-location Assistant Chief Collins Joram to launch an investigation.
The woman had given birth on Thursday, January 11, and tragically, the infant passed away on Saturday, January 13. To conceal the crime, the suspect placed the deceased baby in a box and buried it in a shallow grave covered with earth.
According to Mr. Joram, the woman had a successful delivery at a residence owned by a community health promoter. “She had a successful delivery within the village and was assisted by a community health promoter. It was a girl,” stated the administrator.
This unfortunate event marked the fourth child for the woman. The other three children reported witnessing their mother placing the newborn in a basin of cold water on Friday, allegedly with the intention to drown her. Unaware of the tragic outcome, the children assumed their sibling was merely asleep when they returned home from school later that day.
The suspect then reportedly enlisted the help of her sixth-grade daughter to accompany her to a nearby abandoned farm, where they buried the baby in a box after walking at least one kilometer.
Neighbors grew suspicious on Saturday when they didn’t see the woman breastfeeding the baby, prompting inquiries. The matter was reported to the local administration, leading Mr. Joram to question the children, who disclosed the tragic incident.
Upon police intervention, the woman guided officers to the makeshift grave, and the body was exhumed. She was subsequently arrested and detained at the Oyugis police station awaiting arraignment.
Further investigations revealed that the suspect had divorced her husband about three years ago. When questioned, the man claimed to be unaware of the child’s existence.
