House help charged with murder of 1-year-old boy

A house help arrested over the death of a one-year-old boy in Kiamumbi Estate, Kiambu County, has been charged with murder.

Maureen Nyaboke, who appeared virtually from Kiamumbi police station before Justice Mary Kasango, denied killing Andy Muiruri on February 23, 2022.

Nyaboke, 23, is alleged to have killed Muiruri by hitting him on the head with a blunt object. He succumbed to the injuries on February 24.

The Court ruled that Nyaboke be remanded at Lang’ata Women's prison pending the hearing of her bail application on March 30.

A Kiambu Court had earlier granted the prosecution 10 days to detain Nyaboke after her arrest in Mwihoko.

The boy’s mother Monica Wangui reportedly left him under her care on February 23, and left for work, only to return in the evening to find the boy with injuries on the head, chin and mouth.

According to an affidavit sworn by Carolyne Ng’eno, an investigating officer attached to Kiamumbi Police Station, the accused, who was employed on February 22, 2022, said the child sustained the injuries after a fall.

The baby was rushed to Kahawa West Hospital where he was treated and discharged.  When his health, however, deteriorated, he was referred to Kenyatta University Referral Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

The police informed the court that a post mortem conducted on March 1 revealed that the boy's death was a result of internal injuries to the head caused by a blunt object.

Andy Muiruri was buried on March 3 at his grandparent’s home in Kiambururu village, Githunguri constituency.