By Franklin Wallah.
A 32-year-old woman from Roysambu in Nairobi County on Monday evening, July 8, fatally stabbed her husband in the back before strangling her 3-year-old daughter and 5-year-old son.
The genesis of the apparent murder-suicide, which happened at the family’s one-roomed house in Thome 5 area, is yet to be known, police say.
The body of the couple’s daughter was found placed next to that of her father.
Their son’s body, on the other hand, was found on a couch.
Kasarani Deputy OCPD, Catherine Ringera, says it is believed the woman committed suicide by hanging shortly after wiping out her family.
Ringera said by Monday evening, police hadn’t traced the couple’s respective kinspersons.
“The only information we have is that the man, Joseph Gitau, hails from Njoro in Nakuru County, and that his wife’s relatives are staying in Kariobangi,” said Ringera.
Though preliminary investigations show the incident is an apparent murder-suicide, police say they will dig deeper into the matter to try establish whether other people were involved in the multiple deaths.
Neighbours alleged that the woman often assaulted her husband, a menial worker, every time their relationship was marred by wrangles.
One of the couple’s neighbours made the shocking discovery Monday, when she went to seek help from the pair.
Police recovered a blood-stained kitchen knife and an axe at the scene.
The woman allegedly tried to clean the house and murder weapons before resorting to end her own life, police say.
Bodies of the deceased were moved to a Nairobi morgue late Monday.
