Shock as Nakuru mother throws new born in latrine

Sitting quietly in her living room, Tabitha Mukami wipes away tears that refuse to stop each time her gaze lands on her two young grandsons; aged seven and two years.

Their innocent laughter, once a source of joy, now cuts through her like a knife, a painful reminder of a tragedy she never saw coming.

Mukami, a long-time resident of Kiratina, is consumed by grief and disbelief after her first-born daughter, 25 years old, allegedly tossed her new born baby into a pit latrine shortly after delivering. It was her daughter’s third child.

Her eyes, once bright with the joys of family, now carry the heavy weight of heartbreak and unanswered questions.

“On Sunday, April 13, I left for church and everything seemed fine,” she recounts, her voice trembling. “But when I returned, something felt off. My daughter, *Linda whom I knew was due in a few weeks ,was no longer pregnant, yet there was no baby in sight. I asked her where the baby was. That’s when she told me she had thrown the new born into the latrine,” she says, breaking into tears.

Mukami recalls how, when she pressed for an explanation, Linda claimed that she had fallen, and upon giving birth she discovered that the baby was stillborn. In panic, she decided to dispose of the body.

“I asked her why she couldn’t let us give the baby a proper send-off, something respectful. Why would she take such a cruel step?” Mukami says.

She tells Mtaa Wangu the incident has left her in emotional turmoil, struggling to understand how her own daughter could commit such an act, adding that caring for the new born was something she was mentally prepared for.

However, she is now unable to shake off the feeling that the child is no more.

“My daughter has two sons. When I first learned she was pregnant again, I didn’t react well. But I eventually warmed up to the idea and looked forward to welcoming a third grandchild. I would have cared for the child as I did with my children and grandsons. Now, she’s in police custody, and her sons are without their mother,” she says.

Mukami, a mother of seven, says the burden is now heavier than ever. With her small kiosk business, her biggest worry is how to support not only her younger children but also her grandsons, especially with school fees looming.

The case has sent shockwaves through the close-knit Kiratina community, stirring conversations about the silent battles many young mothers face.

Mercy*, a close neighbour, says she had urged Linda to attend prenatal clinics, but *Linda had been reluctant.

“We even talked about registering her for SHA to cover her delivery. She went to register and was eagerly waiting for her delivery date,” she says.

Mercy* adds that Linda’s arrest on Tuesday, April 15, came as a shock to many. “We knew she was pregnant, but she kept things very quiet. We just want help for her two boys now. Anyone who can assist with their education would be a blessing.”