A 30-year-old woman has been arrested on suspicion of murdering her 15-year-old son.
The woman, who is from the Oruba area of Suna West Sub-County, is said to have been joined in disciplining her son, who is said to have wronged her.
According to Migori county commander Mark Wanjala, who confirmed the incident, the Form Two boy went to sleep after being beaten on New Year's Day and did not wake up the next morning. The Migori police chief said the boy suffered internal injuries. "The woman awoke early in the morning and went about her business, believing her son was asleep. There were visible injuries on his knees, but we believe he died as a result of internal injuries."
Neighbours found the boy while his mother, a businesswoman, was out shopping.
The woman arrested on December 3 is being held at the Oruba police station pending her arraignment in court.
Her son's body is being kept at the Migori county referral hospital until a post-mortem examination can be performed.
Police have since launched a manhunt for the woman's missing brother.
"We have launched our investigations into the matter as we seek the woman's brother, who we are told is from Ogwedhi Masai," Wanjala said.
According to a 2019 report on violence against children by the Ministry of Labour, two out of three girls and one out of two boys experienced physical violence in childhood.
Nearly one out of 5 girls and boys (age 13-17) experienced physical violence by a parent, caregiver, or adult relative.
The report shows that half of the girls and half of the boys witnessed physical violence in the home in childhood.
