Postmortem reveals cause of Meru girl's death, uncle main suspect
A sign outside Maua Police Station in Meru County. Police officers there are investigating the murder of Queen Love Makena, who was found dead after going missing in April.
A four-year-old girl whose body was found dumped in a swamp in Maua town, Meru County, last month was struck on the head, a post mortem has revealed.
A report by pathologist Moses Mwiti indicated that the body of Queen Love Makena had a trauma injury on the temple, caused by a blunt object.
The body of the Mbaranga Primary School pupil was found a day after she went missing moments after she left home with an uncle in April.
The body lay at the Nyambene sub-county hospital mortuary after her family failed to raise money for the post mortem until Igembe South DCIO Tiberius Ekisa intervened.
Queen’s father, Alexander Mwiti, said she left home with an uncle identified as Charles Kimathi, alias Kimiri, ostensibly to buy cake at Mbaranga market.
Mr Mwiti said he and his wife, Dorcas Nkatha, got alarmed after the girl failed to return home hours later while the uncle could not be traced.
He said they unsuccessfully searched for the child in nearby markets before a family friend informed them that a child’s body had been found at Iriene swamp.
“When I heard about the finding, I called the family and enquired about how their child was dressed when she left home. They informed me that she was wearing a pink dress and a purple pullover. When I went to the scene, I found this was the case,” said Maureen Kanana.
The family then traveled to Maua town, about 35 kilometers from their home, where they positively identified the body.
They called for the arrest of Mr Kimathi, the uncle who left with the child, saying he should be treated as a suspect in the case.
The man is said to be errant and had had several run-ins with the family members.
“He is a tall man who speaks with a stammer,” Mr Mutwiri said.
The matter was reported at the Maua Police Station. Police said they had accelerated the search for the suspect but that this was hampered by his lack of a mobile phone.
