Woman kills five-month-old daughter over ‘harsh economic times’
A woman who has been arrested on suspicion that she strangled to death her five-month-old baby and spent a night with the body on the bed in Bomet county.
The suspect Sharon Chepkoech, 20, was arrested alongside her boyfriend who is helping the police with investigations.
The incident occurred at Rorok village, Kaptebengwet location in Konoin constituency, according to the police.
“The woman has been arrested and is currently undergoing interrogation in connection with the incident,” said Mr Alex Shikondi, the Konoin sub county police commander.
BURIAL
Mr Shikondi said the body had been moved to Kapkatet sub county hospital mortuary in Kericho county for preservation before a postmortem is undertaken and subsequent release to the family for burial.
It is said that the woman killed the infant Cynthia Cheptoo on Monday evening but hid the incident from her boyfriend whom she spent the night with alongside the body.
“After strangling the baby at around 5pm, she strapped the body in her back and proceeded to the home of the boyfriend pretending the girl was asleep. She laid the body in bed and when the man arrived, he thought their child was alive but asleep,” said an administrator in the area.
He said when the child did not respond in the morning, the man got alarmed and upon checking he found the body was lifeless.
“He raised an alarm attracting neighbours who called in the police leading to the arrests,” the administrator revealed.
Sharon is said to have admitted to the police that she killed her child because of “harsh economic times”. Cases of postpartum depression among new mothers are common in Kenya.