Woman flees after poisoning her three children in Mlolongo, police say

A woman has gone into hiding after she allegedly poisoned her three children to death in Mlolongo, Machakos County.

Athi River East Sub-county Police Commander Anderson Mbae said the incident occurred at an unknown time on Sunday night in Mlolongo Phase Three Estate, on the outskirts of Mlolongo Township.

Mbae said the matter was reported to Mlolongo Police Station hours later on Monday as a murder incident.

“It was reported to the police station by the caretaker of the rental house where the woman lived. She said she received a text message from the suspect, directing her to go and see a ‘wonder’ inside the house, stating that she had already fled. She clearly knew there was an ugly incident,” Mbae told The Star by phone on Monday.

Police officers visited the scene and found the suspect’s three children lying dead inside the house, with foam emanating from their mouths.

The police boss said the deceased included one-year-old twin sisters who were found lying dead on a bed and a four-year-old boy who was lying in a baby cot.

“It is suspected that the suspect poisoned them using a mixture of Vim detergent,” Mbae said.

The bodies were moved to the City Mortuary, where they are awaiting autopsy.

The suspect was still at large by press time.

Mbae said police were in hot pursuit of her.

The incident is under investigation by detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations attached to Mlolongo Police Station.

The police boss warned residents against engaging in acts of killing their children.

He said Kenyans should not take the law into their own hands by ending others’ lives under any circumstances.

Mbae encouraged residents, especially women with children who are undergoing difficulties, to seek help from relevant authorities, adding that they should not kill or abandon their children.

He said the suspect would be arraigned in court to face murder charges once arrested.