How can a caregiver do this to a baby?

My friend Judith Ochieng called me from the Goethe in near tears.

By the time we spoke, face to face, and I saw the sad photos in her possession, I near wept too.

This is what happened. And Mum-In-Chief and other mothers need to read this and be warned.

On November 9, Judith’s husband picked up a domestic help called Ruth who had just arrived from Bondo, sent to Nairobi by Judith’s aunt.

As it turned out, Ruth was hard of hearing, but Judith and her hubby accepted her into their home, and instructed her on chores and how to take care of their two kids – five-year-old Baraka (boy) and their five-month-old baby girl, Pendo.

A week later, Judith noticed Ruth regularly took Septrin and when she asked her, the young lady said she had a chronic condition. Two days later, on the Friday of November 18, Judith left work early after lunch and came home to find Ruth with a gentleman with an unzipped trouser, as a ruffled Ruth attempted to put her skirt in order.

Judith had had enough, and called her aunt to tell her Ruth was not just the right fit for her home.

The next day, Judith and her hubby went to town on some shopping errands. When they returned, they found Judith had vanished, and the watchman said she carried away two bags.

Baby Pendo was also crying in an inconsolable manner. Judith decided to give her a warm bath to soothe her. To her shock, as she undressed baby, she found both her palms had been sliced open in little razor cuts, as well as pricked as if with a sharp needle.

That is when Baraka began crying, and repeating over and again, ‘Ruth amekata Pendo kwa mkono.’

Aware of Ruth’s health status, Judith and her hubby rushed baby Pendo to Getrude’s Kids’ hospital in Donholm. Fortunately, both Elisa tests turned negative although baby was given a month’s regimen of drugs that make her vomit much daily, because they are so strong.

The following day, on Sunday, Judith and Baba Baraka reported this wicked fugitive at Buru Buru Police Station and were given an OB No 58/20/11/2016. They later got a P3 from the police doctor who examined their little baby.

On Monday, they travelled to Bondo in search of Ruth and justice. Thanks to the OCS and an Inspector Kimathi there, Ruth who was not at their homestead in Ndori, was finally apprehended at a Kisumu bypass via mobile phone tracking by police sleuths Nelson Ewoi, Justus Omollo and a Warutumo.

Police lady Peninah Njeri escorted the arrested ruthless Ruth all the way to Nairobi, where she was locked up at Buru Buru Police Station. But then Judith got a heart-breaking call from the police woman in charge of the case file, a Faith Muchemi, saying that the State Counsel at the Makadara Law Courts was dismissing the case because it has weak evidence.

As a lawyer myself, who saw the pictures of Baby Pendo’s injuries with my own eyes, I find this to be inexcusable. Malicious intent and motive are there on this mad maid’s part. She was the only adult at the scene of the crime.

 The damning photographic evidence is there. Baraka can testify in court, young as he is, that he witnessed the act – and little kids don’t lie on such grievous matters. The evidence is there.

As Judith asked plaintively – ‘Where will helpless mothers get justice if this is the way things will be?’