Schoolgirl bleeds to death in Tharaka-Nithi after botched abortion
What you need to know:
- A clinician who allegedly helped her undergo the procedure was arrested by police and held at Marimanti Police Station.
- Turima Chief Charles Iguna said the girl was pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital.
- Police Boss Dominic Mukoma said the suspect will be interrogated before he is arraigned in court.
- Furious residents called on the government to take stern action against the suspect if found guilty.
A 15-year-old girl bled to death on Tuesday after she reportedly underwent an abortion at a clinic in Kibunga market in Tharaka-Nithi County.
The girl was a Form One student at Turima Mixed Secondary School.
A clinician who allegedly helped her undergo the procedure was arrested by police and was being held at Marimanti Police Station.
Turima Chief Charles Iguna said the girl was pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital, where she had been rushed on a motorbike.
“I received a call from one of the residents and was informed that the girl had already been taken to the hospital but when we arrived there with Assistant County Commissioner Washington Khoi, we found she had already died,” said Mr Iguna.
The girl’s mother said her daughter had told her that last week she was assisted to abort in a clinic in Kibunga market but it was unsuccessful.
“She did not tell me what was wrong until she became seriously ill.
"That is when she disclosed that she had gone to a clinic where she was given tablets that would terminate her pregnancy,” the woman said.
SUSPECT BEING INTERROGATED
Police boss Dominic Mukoma said the suspect would be interrogated before he is arraigned in court.
“We need every health facility to be put under thorough scrutiny before issuing licenses for operation to ensure that nothing illegal happens.
“This is a serious issue and the suspect will face the law if found to have helped the deceased to procure abortion which is a serious crime,” said Mr Mukoma.
The body was removed to Meru Referral Hospital mortuary awaiting a post-mortem examination.
Furious residents called on the government to take stern action against the suspect if found guilty.
They also called for the immediate closure of the clinic and the revocation of its license.
“There has been a lot of rumours that the suspect has been helping young girls to abort and we want justice for the girl if indeed it happened,” said Ms Mary Muthoni, a resident.
