Baby Pendo died of severe head injury, post-mortem results reveal

A post-mortem results has revealed that Baby Samantha Pendo died of severe head injury caused by a bang on the scull.

Pathologists at Aga Khan Hospital revealed that there was a fracture on the right hand side of the head of the six-month old baby who was allegedly attacked by anti-riot police during demonstrations in Kisumu.

Consultant Pathologist Dixon Mchana revealed the result after the two-hour procedure also witnessed by representatives of Samantha's family.

"We confirm that the baby suffered severe head injury due to a bang on the head, and we have shared the results with the family," said Mchana.

Family representative Amos Pambo said they were ready to hand over the results to the relevant authorities for purposes of conducting investigations, as they commence the process of securing justice.

"It was sad that a baby of this age had to die such a cruel death. We hope the authorities will get to the bottom of this matter, and bring those culpable to book as well as hand the family justice," said Pambo.

Grief engulfed family members when it dawned to them that the little angel had actually died as a result of post-election violence, circumstances she had no knowledge of.

Their one-roomed mud-walled rental house became a beehive of activities as leaders, friends and relatives streamed in to listen to the sad story on Samantha's attack in disbelief.

Samantha became the face of police brutality in Kisumu, after the little angel fell victim of police beating during demonstrations which erupted after the declaration of President Uhuru Kenyatta as the winner for the presidential candidate.

Police allegedly raided their house at Kilo, Nyalenda Estate, leaving Joseph Abanja, his wife Lenser Achieng and their little daughter with multiple injuries.

Until Thursday, Abanja and his wife had not sought proper medication for their injuries, having to bear with the emotional pain of watching their little girl struggle to regain her life in the hospital's Intensive Care Unit in vein.

Abanja, a tuktuk driver said he had been surviving on pain killers and regular massage on his swollen limbs and head using hot water, and instead hopping that he would get medication after Samantha heals.

The post-mortem results on Samantha came out as clergy from the area urged the state to compensate the victims of violence which broke out after the announcement of the presidential results.

By Thursday, the hospital bill for baby Samantha stood at Sh365, 000, with the family having collected Sh118, 000 from the pay bill number 946688 which had been initiated to raise funds for the baby's medical bills.

Led by Voice of Salvation and Healing Church (VOSH) leader Archbishop Winnie Owiti, the clergy said most of the victims of the violence were injured or killed by police, hence the state needed to bear the burden.

"It has been proven that police used excessive force in handling the people, and this led to unwarranted deaths and injuries, and we ask the Kenya National Human Rights Commission to champion the quest for justice for all the victims and have them compensated," said Owiti.

The clergy expressed confidence that the Judiciary will be able to arbitrate between the NASA and Jubilee, so as to avoid further eruption of violence in the country.

Joseph Abanja, the baby's father asked well-wishers to stand with them as they seek to raise the remaining bit of the bill, so as to enable them take the baby's body for burial, back at their rural home in Magoya village of Ugenya, Siaya County.

Abanja for the first time recorded statement with police, expressing confidence that his family will be served justice.

"My priority now is to ensure that I give my baby a decent send-off and later seek justice," said Abanja.