Nairobi News

HashtagLifeWhat's Hot

American man claims innocence on charges of molesting orphan Kenyan girls


In 2008, Gregory Dow and his wife Mary Rose sold their farm in East Hempfield Township, United States, packed their bags and travelled to Kenya.

Their mission? They came into the country to start a children’s’ home with the aim of assisting orphans.

The couple subsequently settled on a 1.2 acre piece of land in Boito, Bomet County where they started a home, Dow Family Children’s home.

On Facebook, Dow Family Children’s home, is described as a home that serves as a refuge for orphaned and abandoned children. By 2015, more than 79 children called the place home.

ARREST WARRANT

However, in 2017, Mr Dow fled Kenya never to come back after an arrest warrant was issued against him over claims he was sexually assaulting children under his care.

According to news website Lancaster online, prior his travel to Kenya, Mr Dow was once convicted for sex related crimes in the US.

In December 2015, Mr Dow opened an account on GoFundMe, a free online fundraising platform, which was opened by Ms Marriana Elizabeth on his behalf.

On its description, they said that they wanted to purchase a half an acre land in addition to the 1.2 acre land where the children’s home stood.

By Tuesday, they have been able to raise Sh 1.3 million of the 1.4 million that they were targeting. A total of 22 people have contributed.

After Mr Dow left the country, his wife tried to flee the same way in September 2017, but was arrested by the police for being cruel to children.

BIRTH CONTROL DEVICES

His wife was found guilty of cruelty to children for having girls implanted with birth control devices.

According to police records, she was released on bond by the police September 16, 2017. She later managed to flee the country leaving the orphanage behind.

However, back at their Lancaster home, the couple maintains their innocence and instead blame their neighbors at their Boito home for “turning against them.’

The orphanage they built is now said to be deserted with the children already moved to other homes.

The website they had started to help them in sharing information about the children’s home cannot be traced online.

Mr Dow said in a phone interview that the man who sold them the 1.2 acre piece of land came up with a scheme to get the property back.

“They got a few “rebellious” teenage girls to lie, he said, adding that Kenyans are “volatile people,” he told the Lancaster Online.

“It’s sad to say we live in a society where people are guilty until proven innocent,” he added.