Woman pleads guilty to neglecting her children

A mother of three who has been charged with neglecting her children told the court that she locked her children in her house to go to work.

Loise Karanja admitted she neglected her children before Nakuru Senior Resident Magistrate Yvonne Kathambi.

“I am a sole bread winner of the family, I don’t have any one to look after my children when I go for work, and I’m forced to lock them in house,” Karanja said.

Karanja is said to have locked her three children aged seven, fpour and two at their house in Ahero, Bahati, on January 6.

The mother of three is said to have neglected the children and failed to provide food and other necessities, subjecting them to unnecessary suffering.

The woman is said to have a habit of leaving her children in her house without care by locking them inside from morning to evening without food.

Neighbours are said to have been angered by her behaviour., which forced them to report the matter at Bahati police station.

Police found the children locked in the house and broke in.

Karanja was later arrested and charged.

In mitigation, the woman asked for leniency, saying her parents are dead, making it difficult for her to cater for her children.

“My parents died, I have to feed my children, when I go to work I leave them alone, and I’m remorseful,” said the woman.

The prosecution confirmed to court that the accused is a first offender with no previous records.

The court ordered that the woman may be remanded at Nakuru Prison as probation officers prepare a pre-sentencing report.

The case will be mentioned on January 11.