One-month-old baby who was stolen found in couple's house

A one-month old baby boy who had allegedly been stolen from her mother in Homa Bay county two weeks ago has been reunited with his family.

Baby Stanley Desmond Odhiambo went missing on the evening of January 5 when his mother, Ms Benta Akinyi, was at a salon in Rodi Kopany trading centre.

The baby was just two weeks old when he went missing.

Detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) called Ms Akinyi on Thursday night informing her that the lost child had been found at a house in Rodi Kopany and was taken to Homa Bay Police Station.

This was after detectives conducted investigations that involved DCI officers from Crime Research & Intelligence Bureau in Nairobi who have been camping in Homa Bay.

They managed to trace the lost baby with the help of their counterparts from Homa Bay and officers from the Child Protection Unit.

Ms Akinyi, 21, and her husband, Austine Odhiambo, 27, have been living in agony ever since they lost their first-born son.

The mother reported her encounter with a woman she only identified as Mammy after she delivered in hospital last year.

Positively identified

It all started on December 23, 2020 after the mother gave birth at St Lawrence Hospital. Mammy, who has since been positively identified as Bella Achieng Ogolla, according to DCI, became friends Ms Akinyi.

The suspect would call her, with promises of gifts. Both agreed to meet in Rodi Kopany at a later date where the gifts were supposed to be delivered.

Ms Akinyi said she was at a saloon when the suspect asked her if she could carry the child so that he could not be affected by fumes from machines in the salon.

“When I got out of the salon after my hair was done I was shocked to discover that the woman had taken off with my child together with the gifts she had supposedly brought me,” the mother from Masakla village said.

According to DCI, the suspect took the baby to her house in Rodi Kopany and deceived her husband that she had given birth. 

Detectives are, however, still trying to figure out how the 42-year-old man identified as Bernard Akello was convinced by his wife who never showed any signs of pregnancy.

The suspect and her husband were arrested and are being held at Homa Bay Police Station awaiting their arraignment in court.

At the time the suspect was being arrested, she had already bought a baby feeder and a thermos flask that she used to keep warm milk. 

Homa Bay DCI boss Charlse Kanyuira told journalists that the baby will not be automatically given to Ms Akinyi.

DNA test

He said the matter will have to be investigated before the baby is taken to the biological parents.

“Theft of the child is still an allegation. Police will remain with the baby as investigations continue. He will be handled by officers from the children’s department,” he said.

A DNA test will also be conducted on Ms Akinyi, the suspect and the baby to ascertain who the child belongs to.

On Friday, Mr Kanyuira said they will ask the court to grant them more time to conclude their investigations.

“We used technology to trace the suspect. Our officers from the headquarters managed to locate her using her mobile phone,” he said.

Ms Akinyi expressed her joy after the baby was found.

“My child should have grown beyond how he is now. It could be because he was not getting enough nutrients,” she said as she breastfed the child.

Baby Desmond will be taken to hospital for medical checkup.