Three days of grief: Juja Family loses mother to illness, 17-year-old Son in mysterious airbnb murder

A family in Juja is grappling with a devastating double tragedy after losing a mother who had battled a long illness, only for her 17-year-old son to die in mysterious murder circumstances just three days later. [Istock Photos]

A family in Juja is grappling with a devastating double tragedy after losing a mother who had battled a long illness, only for her 17-year-old son to die in mysterious murder circumstances just three days later.

Michael Kimani died on Wednesday, November 4, after attending a fellowship held in preparation for his mother's burial. His mother, Lucy Wanjira, had died on Sunday, November 1.

The family is now demanding justice after Michael was found dead following an alleged fall from the ninth floor of an Airbnb apartment in Gwa Kairu, Juja, Kiambu County, in an incident that has left several questions unanswered.

Speaking in Masaku estate in Ruiru,his elder sister, Mary Watiri, said Michael approached her at around 9.30pm on Wednesday while she was on the rooftop with a friend and asked for Sh200, saying he wanted to attend a gathering to mourn with the family of a young man.

She advised him against going alone and suggested that he accompany a friend, identified as Karanja. Michael agreed, took the money and left.

“I cautioned him against returning home in the middle of the night because of the security risks, but he told her he did not know what time he would be back,” Watiri said.

The following morning, two young men arrived at their home and asked whether Michael was around. They then informed her that he was dead and that they had received a call from Mugutha Police Station.

She said she rushed to the scene and found her brother's body inside a police vehicle, wrapped in a bedsheet and dressed only in shorts. She noticed injuries on his legs and arm, a swollen face and bleeding.

The family was later informed that he had allegedly been thrown from the ninth floor of the apartment building.

They initially took his body to Nazareth Hospital mortuary, where their mother's body had also been taken, before transferring it to General Kago Funeral Home for a postmortem examination.

The family said the postmortem established that Michael had sustained multiple fractures, with samples collected for toxicological analysis.

According to the family, they were told by a friend to Michael was picked by an uber together witha lady identified as Stacy near their home in Masaku Estate, Ruiru, before taking them to the Airbnb.

They further claim that a man approached the pair at a petrol station next to the apartment building and escorted them upstairs.

Moments later, People near the petrol station reportedly heard a loud bang and later found the teenager lying lifeless, prompting them to alert police.

However, the family says it is yet to establish what exactly happened inside the apartment before Michael's death.

His aunt, Jane Gituto, called on investigators to pursue the woman who allegedly accompanied him, saying the family wanted answers about the circumstances that led to his death.

“We want the police to take action. As a family, we are going through a very difficult time. We have never experienced anything like this before,” Gituto said.

Teresia Nduta a family friend also called for speedy investigations and urged the government to review the regulation of Airbnb facilities, particularly those operating within residential neighbourhoods.

She said concerns had been raised over the use of some accommodation facilities for criminal activities, arguing that stronger oversight was needed to protect residents and guests.

Juja Sub-County Police Commander Isaac Kombo confirmed that two men, one of them a Kenya Prisons Service officer, had been arrested in connection with the incident.

Kombo said police were alerted by security personnel and that officers dispatched to the scene found the two men already restrained by members of the public.

He said the suspects were taken into custody as investigators sought to establish what transpired before the teenager's death.

“We are still holding them. We took them to court and were granted 15 days to keep them in custody while we complete investigations and prepare to charge them properly with murder,” he said.

The police commander said investigators were also looking for two women who may have information about the incident. One had been identified as Ashley, while the identity of the second woman was yet to be established.

He said police were working with a mobile service provider to trace the women, adding that they should have presented themselves to investigators to explain what happened.

Kombo further revealed that detectives had retrieved CCTV footage from the area, which he said had provided important leads and raised questions about accounts given by some of the people involved.

He said the footage suggested that events leading to Michael's death may have unfolded before the reported fall, making it important for investigators to establish the sequence of events.

The commander said the Prisons officer had reportedly been involved in wrestling and had represented Kenya in Kazakhstan the previous week, returning to the country about two days before the incident.

The family is now left seeking answers as it prepares to bury a son who died just three days after his mother's death, turning what should have been a period of mourning into an even greater tragedy.