Mother in court for setting 10-year-old son on fire

Grace Wairimu arraigned in court for burning son using paraffin [Photos courtesy- Standard]

A mother has been arraigned in court for allegedly setting on fire her ten-year-old son.

Grace Wairimu, according to police committed the offence on March 15 in Nairobi’s Dandora Estate.

In a sworn affidavit, the detective investigating the case stated that the accused had left her son in the house only to come back later in the evening while drunk.

The suspect who was drunk is said to have started quarrelling the boy for having not done his chores.

It was then that she is said to have reached out for paraffin before pouring it on her son and setting him on fire.

The boy wailed in distress for help and neighbours who came to his rescue found him burning as the mother watched.

Wairimu was arrested and escorted to a police station by members of the public as the boy was rushed to Kenyatta National Hospital in a serious condition having sustained severe burn injuries on his face, chest back and other parts of the body.

The court however granted the investigating officer's request to detain the suspect for seven days to enable him complete investigations.

 The matter will be mentioned on March 28.