REVEALED: Here is what caused Caroline Mwatha’s death
The long awaited autopsy on the body of activist Caroline Mwatha has confirmed that she died as a result of too much bleeding while procuring an abortion.
Pathologist Peter Ndegwa, who was representing Independent Medico-Legal Unit (IMLU) during the post mortem examination, told journalists that Caroline lost excess blood as her uterus was raptured during abortion.
“The findings are almost conclusive because we have found that Caroline lost a lot of blood internally and externally. She was about five to six months pregnant with a male foetus, unfortunately I think someone mutilated the foetus it has no one left upper limb, it has no brain because it has been sucked out and the skull and bones are fractured.
“There’s a lot of blood in the abdominal cavity and the foetus is actually in the abdominal cavity. It has kind of come out of the uterus because the uterus had been perforated at the back and had a very big gaping hole and this led to bleeding. Therefore, what we are saying is that somebody somewhere somehow attempted to either dismember the foetus then remove some parts,” said Dr Ndegwa.
On the cut seen on Caroline’s leg, the pathologist said it was done during embalming and there were needle puncture marks on her body that are suspected to have been made during a medical intervention to save her life.
Dr Ndegwa said some samples have been taken for further assessment as to what medication was administered to her through the needle punctures.
Police had linked Caroline’s death to a botched abortion and arrested the owner of the clinic where the procedure took place, Betty Akinyi Nyanya alias Betty Ramoya, along with the “Doctor” who procured the abortion Michael Onchiri alias Dr Mike.
Other people who were arrested include Alexander Gitau who is believed to be responsible for Caroline’s pregnancy, clinic owner’s son Richard Ramoya, Georgia Achieng, Stephen Maina, Martin Mwangi and Godfrey Otieno.
Caroline’s family and activists had previously rejected the version of the police, accusing the police of a cover-up and blaming her death on the community work she was doing on extra-judicial killings.