Kirinyaga: Children Find Parents Dead in Bedroom While Bidding Them Goodbye Before School
- Grief gripped Gikumbo village after a heartbreaking discovery by children early Friday morning, sparking concern and sorrow among residents
- In a video, the community members said they were left puzzled after a couple was found dead under unclear circumstances, prompting calls for urgent investigation
- Local leaders raised the alarm over rising insecurity in the area, urging immediate reinstatement of security personnel and resources
- Speaking exclusively to TUKO.co.ke, psychologist Dr Velma Odhiambo stressed the need for mental health conversations in homes, especially among men
Nancy Odindo, a TUKO.co.ke journalist, has over four years of experience covering Kenyan politics, news, and features for digital and print media.
Kirinyaga: Pain and grief have engulfed Gikumbo Village in Karumandi, Gichugu Constituency, after a couple was found dead in their home early Friday morning, July 18, in what is suspected to be a case of murder.
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The couple’s children, who were preparing to leave for school, made the shocking discovery.
According to reports, the children went to bid their parents goodbye when they stumbled upon their lifeless bodies in the bedroom of their house.
What happened before the Kirinyaga deaths?
Preliminary reports indicated that the man, a 41-year-old boda boda rider, allegedly killed his wife before taking his own life.
The motive behind the suspected horrifying deaths remains unclear, but residents say the couple was last seen together the previous evening at a local market where the wife worked.
"I saw them coming home together. When they reached Muchagara Town, the woman alighted and went into a shop before returning to the boda boda. They then rode off towards home. What happened after that remains a mystery," recounted a resident, Simon Mwangi.
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An elder from the village, who arrived at the scene alongside the area assistant chief, confirmed the tragic deaths and condemned the violence.
"It is not right to kill one another over disagreements. There are peaceful ways to resolve conflicts," a resident said.
Speaking at the scene, area MCA Caroline Wanjiku decried the rising cases of insecurity in the region.
She urged the government to reinstate the police post that was removed from Muchagara and reinforce security in the area.
“We should have the Muchagara and Karumandi police posts returned to help us. We are also requesting that we be given a GK Karumandi vehicle so that it can help deal with crime,” said Wanjiku.
The bodies were picked up by officers from Karumandi Police Station and taken to Kerugoya Level 5 Hospital mortuary for postmortem examinations and further investigations.
Residents noted that this was not the first murder incident in the region and called on authorities to enhance security and address the underlying causes of domestic conflicts.
Meanwhile, police have launched formal investigations into the deaths as the community mourns the tragic loss.
Speaking exclusively to TUKO.co.ke, Dr Velma Odhiambo, a counselling psychologist and advocate for mental health awareness in rural Kenya, underscored the importance of mental health conversations in households, particularly among men.
“Many men suffer silently under the weight of financial, emotional, and relational pressures. When these challenges are not addressed in healthy ways, they can manifest in tragic outcomes. What we are witnessing is not simply an isolated domestic tragedy, it is a wake-up call for communities to prioritise open communication and mental health support at every level,” she told TUKO.co.ke.
Kirinyaga man kills wife before fleeing
Elsewhere, Mukithi Village was plunged into mourning after a man allegedly murdered his 43-year-old wife inside their unfinished house before fleeing the scene.
The suspect, identified as Patrick Manegene, was said to have rushed to a nearby homestead—about 500 metres away—to inform a relative of the incident.
According to a police statement, the deceased, identified as Njeri, had sustained visible injuries to her right leg and neck.
They launched a manhunt for the suspect as investigations into the incident continue.
Proofreading by Jackson Otukho, copy editor at TUKO.co.ke.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
