MLOLONGO, Kenya — Police in Machakos County have launched a manhunt for a woman who allegedly poisoned her three young children to death before fleeing her rented house in Mlolongo.
The incident is believed to have occurred on Sunday night at Mlolongo Phase Three Estate, on the outskirts of Mlolongo Township, according to Athi River East Sub-County Police Commander Anderson Mbae.
The matter was reported to Mlolongo Police Station hours later on Monday after the caretaker of the rental house raised the alarm.
“The caretaker told police she received a text message from the suspect directing her to go and see a ‘wonder’ inside the house, while stating that she had already fled,” Mbae said, adding that the message suggested the woman was aware of the gravity of what had occurred.
Police officers who responded to the scene found the bodies of the woman’s three children inside the house, with foam coming from their mouths — a sign investigators say points to poisoning.
The victims included one-year-old twin girls who were found lying on a bed, and their four-year-old brother, whose body was discovered in a baby cot.
“It is suspected that the suspect poisoned the children using a mixture of Vim detergent,” Mbae said.
The bodies were moved to the City Mortuary, where post-mortem examinations are expected to be conducted to establish the exact cause of death.
By the time of publication, the suspect was still at large, with police saying efforts to track her down had been intensified.
Detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) attached to Mlolongo Police Station have taken over the case, which remains under active investigation.
Mbae condemned the incident and urged residents not to resort to violence under any circumstances.
“No one should take the law into their own hands by ending the lives of others, especially innocent children,” he said.
The police boss also appealed to parents, particularly women facing personal or social challenges, to seek help from relevant authorities and support systems instead of harming or abandoning their children.
Police said the suspect will be arraigned in court to face murder charges once arrested.
