Father poisons children in domestic row

Two children are fighting for their dear lives at J.M Memorial Hospital after they were forced to swallow poison by their aggrieved father on Monday night following a row with his wife.

Mr Paul Kung’u, 33, is said to have attempted committing suicide after trying to kill his children after taking them from their mother, Esther Wairimu, 26, who had fled to her parents’ home in Huhioni village, Nyandarua West district after the two quarrelled.

The incident happened at the man’s home in Mwireri, Kabianga location on the outskirts of Ol Kalou town on Monday night at around 9pm.

According to Nyandarua Central police boss Wilson Kosgei, the man warned his wife that “she might never see the children again.”

“Upon arrival at his house, the man is said to have forced the two minors to take poison and later took the pesticide in a suicide attempt,” he said.

Neighbours and relatives said they heard the children scream at around 9 pm and rushed to the house, forced the door open and found them writhing in pain and rushed all of them to hospital where they were said to be in critical condition.

He spared their youngest child aged three years.

Speaking from hospital bed, Mr Kung’u blamed his mother-in-law for the problems dogging his eight year old marriage.

He said he did not remember giving poison to the children. But his wife accused him of being very violent and “picking a panga even at the slightest provocation”.

There was drama when the man sneaked out of his bed and jumped over the fence and disappeared into the darkness soon after showing some improvement.

Hospital management had to seek police help to pursue him after his escape at midnight. He was found at his mother's home in Witemere on Tuesday morning and taken back to the hospital.

The Nyandarua police boss said they were waiting for him to recover before charging him in court.

Additional Reporting by Macharia Mwangi @machariamwangi1 [email protected]