Woman who killed and secretly buried her newborn baby arrested

By FAITH RONOH

Elgeyo-Marakwet , Kenya: A middle-aged woman who allegedly killed and buried her two week old baby girl in Elgeyo/Marakwet County has been arrested and is being held at Chesoi Police Station.

The married woman, name with-held, is said to have sired the child out of wedlock prompting her to commit the act.

Villagers who spoke to The Standard said the woman strangled her baby and buried the body in a shallow grave a few meters from their home.

The incident that occurred in Tuturung village in Marakwet East district shocked many prompting her husband to report the matter to the police.

“We were informed that the woman killed her baby because apparently she was having an affair outside her marriage and could not stand the shame she would receive from villagers and rejection from family members,” a witness who sought anonymity said.

Area police boss Elijah Maina confirmed the arrest of the woman saying she is being held over the killing.
 

Maina said they apprehended the woman following a tip off from her husband who had all along been suspicious of the pregnancy.

“Her husband reported the incident to us leading to the arrest of the woman who led crime officers to the scene where she had buried the body, a few meters away from their house,” the police boss said.

Maina pointed out that they will have to obtain a court order at the Iten law court before they embark on exhuming the body pending investigations into the incident.

“Once we obtain the court order, we will exhume the body and preserve it at the Iten District Mortuary pending further investigations into the matter,” said Maina.

The police boss added that if found guilty, the suspect will face murder charges.