A two-year-old boy died after his mother locked herself and her two children in her one-roomed rental house and set it on fire in Kihunguro village, Thogoto, Kikuyu constituency.
Peter Chege died on arrival at Kenyatta National Hospital, but mom Doris Amanya and two-month Elizabeth Wanjiku survived. Neighbours said they heard the children crying and the smell of burning clothes on Wednesday afternoon, and went to investigate.
“We were washing clothes outside, when heard the children crying. We realised the crying [had gone on for a while so we] decided to come and check what was happening,” neighbour Nancy Wanjiru said.
“We heard their mother scolding them [and urging them] to keep quiet. One of us broke the window and we saw a lot of smoke and fire.”
The women started screaming for help for fear the fire would spread to their houses. When she heard the fire brigade from Kikuyu had been called, Amanya finally opened the door.
Amanya’s husband James Njoroge said his family was happy when he left for work in the morning.
“I don’t know what happened because she never told me anything. We had breakfast together and I left them in a happy mood.” he said.
Kiambu woman representative aspirant Gathoni Muchomba yesterday said the woman should be tested for depression. She said many depressed people suffer in silence for fear of being misunderstood until they are pushed to the limit and resort to drastic measures.
AP boss Robert Mulwa said they are investigating and Amanya will be charged with causing her son’s death and injuring her daughter and arson once she is discharged from hospital.