Missing four-year-old girl found killed and dumped in a maize plantation

Picture of Linnet Wambui who went missing during Mashujaa day celebrations on October 20. Her body was found decomposing at a maize plantation in Bahati, Nakuru County. [Mercy Kahenda/Standard]

A family in Engashura, Bahati Sub-County has asked police to investigate the mysterious murder of their daughter who was found dumped in a maize plantation.

Linnet Wambui, four, went missing during the Mashujaa day celebrations on October 20, and her decomposing body recovered in a nearby maize plantation on Tuesday evening.

Speaking to The Standard, her mother Grace Wanjiku said the girl went missing at around 5.30pm.

The minor disappeared while following Wanjiku to Kiawamu dispensary located about one kilometer away from their home, where she had taken her younger child for treatment.

She said she did not have knowledge that Wambui had followed her to the hospital, a matter she learnt at night after she failed to report back home.

“I left my daughter at home as I rushed my other child to hospital after falling sick, but I was informed she followed me and later disappeared,” said the mother.

Wanjiku who is still in shock over the mysterious death of her daughter said it was not clear who picked her from their home and motive of the killing.

“It is sad that my daughter went missing only for her body to be found dumped in a maize plantation,” said Wanjiku.

She said after Wambui went missing, she reported to Bahati police station OB number 25/2/22/2018.

After reporting the matter to the police, the family launched a search in their relatives’ homes in different parts of the country without success. “The family has been spending sleepless night searching for our daughter. It is so disheartening to come to terms with her death,” the mother.

She asked the police to launch investigations and bring to book perpetrators of the crime.

Wanjiku maintained that she was not aware what might have led to the crime as she did not hold a grudge with anyone in the area.

“I do not know the motive of the people who might have killed my daughter and neither have I had any issue with anyone whom I can link to the crime,” she said.

Area MCA Peter Nganga Macharia who visited to condole with the family condemned the killing and asked police to speed up investigations and bring perpetrators of the crime to book.

“Security should be enhanced in the area and more patrols conducted to tame rate of crime in the locality,” he said.

Nakuru Police commander Hassan Barua said the matter had been reported but it was not clear on whether she had been murdered.

According to him, cause of death will be established after an autopsy report.

“It is true that the girl was reported missing, and later her body in a maize plantation, but it is not clear if she was killed, an issue that will be determined by postmortem,” said Barua.