Act of kindness leaves Homa Bay woman mobbed to death

Main entrance to Sindo Sub-County Hospital. [File, Standard]

A woman accused of stealing a one-and-a-half-year-old infant has been lynched by an irate mob in Sindo, Homa Bay.

Jane Atieno was roughed up by angry residents who were baying for her blood after a child that was left in her custody went missing.

A report made at the office of Suba Central Deputy County Commissioner Beatrice Odira indicates that the missing child belongs to another woman who sells fried fish in Sindo town.

The said woman had gone to the late Atieno's house to buy firewood.

Upon experiencing difficulties in carrying the firewood, the unnamed woman requested the deceased to watch over the bay as she dropped the firewood to her workstation.

Upon return, she was shocked to find her baby missing.

Asking the late Atieno about the whereabouts of her baby, the deceased notified her that she let the baby go because was in distress and in need of the mother.

"She told the child's mother that she had let the baby leave because she was crying. The mother was worried and called residents to help her look for the baby in that area but they did not find her," Odira said.

According to Ms Odira, some neighbours claimed that they saw Atieno give the child to a bodaboda rider.

"The residents put her to task to reveal the whereabouts of the child but she failed to do so. This made the angry residents pounce on her with crude objects leaving her seriously injured," she said.

Odira said efforts by the police to rescue the deceased were futile as by the time they arrived on the scene the late Atieno had been overwhelmed.

She was moved to Sindo Sub-County Hospital but unfortunately died a few minutes later.

While warning residents against taking matters of law into their own hands, Odira called upon the local administrators to be on the lookout to avoid such occurrences.

"Unfortunately, chiefs pleaded with residents not to assault the woman but the mob declined until police arrived. She died in the hospital," Odira said.

Odira said although Atieno had died, the missing child was later found.