Woman kills self and her 3 children in Gilgil

Crime scene

A crime scene barricade tape. Police in Nakuru are investigating an incident where a woman is suspected to have poisoned her three children before hanging herself in Gilgil on  February 4, 2022.

Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group

Police in Nakuru are investigating an incident where a woman is suspected to have poisoned her three children before dying by suicide at Teachers B estate in Gilgil on Friday.

Mr Stephen Gitau, the woman’s neighbour, told Nation.Africa that the children aged nine, seven and one were allegedly given food laced with poison before their mother hanged herself.

“She locked the house from the inside before killing her children and later hanging herself,” said Mr Gitau.

Gilgil Sub County Deputy Police Commander Henry Mbogo, said the 32-year-old woman was married to a Kenya Defence Forces officer.

He said the woman's husband, who works in Somalia, is expected to return to the country next month.

 “The woman left a suicide note indicating why she decided to end her life and those of her three children,” added Mr Mbogo.

He said that, in the note, the woman claimed that her husband had reduced her monthly stipend from Sh18,000 to Sh10,000.

“[In the note] she had accused her husband of reducing her monthly stipend due to infidelity,” added Mr Mbogo.

The woman, in a video call to her husband last month, allegedly threatened to kill her children. She was arrested and questioned by the police. Mr Mbogo said that following her arrest and arraignment, her children were taken to a rescue centre.  

“The woman’s husband returned to the country last month and withdrew the case, leading to her acquittal,” said the deputy police boss.

But on Friday the woman poisoned her children before hanging herself.