Mary Juma Deya, the widow of controversial Kenyan televangelist Gilbert Deya, has been found dead in her home in Bondo, Siaya County.
Police confirmed that the elderly woman was discovered lifeless inside her house after relatives and neighbours became concerned when she failed to respond to calls and knocks on her door.
According to police reports, the discovery was made after a relative visited the residence to check on her welfare.
When repeated knocks went unanswered, the relative reportedly sought the help of neighbours. The group broke a window pane to check inside the house and saw Mary Deya lying motionless on the floor.
Authorities were immediately alerted, and officers arrived at the scene before forcing the door open to access the house.
Police confirmed that she had died, though the exact cause of death had not been immediately established.
Her body was later moved to a local mortuary, where a post-mortem examination is expected to determine the circumstances surrounding her death.
Investigators said the house had been locked from the inside, and at the time of the discovery there were no immediate signs indicating foul play. However, police said investigations are ongoing as they await medical findings.
Mary Deya’s death comes only months after the death of her husband, Gilbert Deya, who died in a road accident along the Kisumu–Bondo Road in June 2025.
For decades, Gilbert Deya remained one of the most talked-about religious figures associated with the so-called ‘miracle babies’ claims that made international headlines in the early 2000s.
His church had claimed that infertile women could conceive through prayer and divine intervention, a claim that later sparked investigations by authorities in both Kenya and the United Kingdom.
The ministry led by Gilbert Deya gained global attention after several women claimed to have miraculously conceived following prayers at his church.
However, investigations later revealed that some of the babies presented as miracles were allegedly obtained through illegal adoptions or child-trafficking networks.
The allegations resulted in a lengthy legal battle.
In 2017, the preacher was extradited from the United Kingdom to Kenya to face charges linked to the alleged scheme.
Mary Deya herself was also linked to the investigations and at one point faced charges related to child-stealing allegations connected to the case.
The legal process surrounding the controversial ministry lasted years and attracted significant media attention.
In 2023, however, Gilbert Deya was acquitted by a Kenyan court after the prosecution failed to prove the charges beyond reasonable doubt.
Following years of legal battles and public scrutiny, Mary Deya had largely stayed away from the public spotlight.
After the death of her husband in 2025, she was believed to have been living quietly at her home in Bondo.
Neighbours in the area reportedly described her as a reserved person who kept to herself in recent years.
Police say investigations into Mary Deya’s death remain ongoing as authorities await the results of the post-mortem examination.
