KMTC student accused of killing her baby to be arraigned on Thursday

A student at the Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC) Makindu Campus accused of killing her newborn baby shortly after birth will know her fate on Thursday when she is presented before the Makindu Law Courts in Makueni County.  

Makindu Police Commander Phillip Okello confirmed that the suspect is out on a free police bond due to her medical state and she will be presented to the court after medics affirm recovery.

“The accused is a patient and we couldn’t immediately present her to court. She had a retained placenta after the baby’s birth. The condition is under management by the medical team and thereafter she will appear in court,” said Mr Okello

The woman, identified only as Mercy, is accused of striking her infant daughter during the early morning hours of January 4 and cutting off its head leading to death. She subsequently dumped the baby in a pit latrine, according to Catherine Kisangau, the Kiu sub-location assistant chief.

The suspect is a Community Health Administration (CHA) student in her second year.

The assistant chief was the first authority to arrive at the scene of the crime on that fateful day when an irate mob wanted to descend on the student who had locked herself in her house.

“The baby girl had been decapitated. We know the student had given birth to the baby alive since neighbours heard the baby cry for long before going silent at the middle of the night,” said Ms Kisangau

The student was taken to Makindu sub-county hospital for medication in her frail condition on January 4.