Esther Arunga and Timberlake quizzed after their son dies

A former TV presenter and her husband were questioned by police following the death of their three-year-old son in Australia.

Esther Arunga and Quincy Timberlake were taken for questioning from their home in Kallangur, north of Brisbane, after paramedics pronounced their son dead.

Kenya’s High Commissioner to Australia said: “We have a situation of a family who lost their child and police are investigating.”

Local TV Channel — Channel 7 — reported on June 18, that the child died as paramedics who had been called in were attending to him. The TV channel confirmed the names of the couple to the Nation by telephone.

“The parents told the police that the child had been playing with his two-year-old brother when he fell down the stairs,” the channel owned by Yahoo! reported.

After the incident, it stated, the parents gave him Panadol, a painkiller, and put him to sleep, but his condition worsened.

The couple then called paramedics who pronounced the boy dead.

Kenya’s High Commissioner to Australia Isaiah Kabira confirmed that indeed, such an incident happened. He said the matter was still under investigation by the Australian authorities.

“We have received reports of a Kenyan family who unfortunately lost their baby. The local police are investigating the circumstances and promised to get back to us,” Mr Kabira said.

The Kallangur Police Beat Child Protection Unit said by telephone that the matter had been booked and was under investigation. The police officer added; “I am not in a position to comment on that matter.”

In a video posted on YouTube, police are seen cordoning off the couple’s home in Brisbane. The woman, purported to be the baby’s mother is also captured weeping as she sits down. Moments later, she is escorted to a police vehicle as she tries to hide her face with a white cap.

Police will use reports from the post mortem conducted on the boy to determine the circumstances under which he died.

Esther’s parents told the Nation that they had not communicated with their daughter since the incident a week ago.

“I have heard such rumours, but I cannot confirm, as Esther has not called me,” her mother, Petroline Arunga said.

SUED PARENTS

Four years ago, Esther sued her parents Dr Robert Arunga and Mrs Petroline Arunga, claiming they had locked her in their house and subjected her to forceful psychiatric checkup.

She then declared she was married to Quincy Timberlake, who was in police custody at that time. She demanded Sh300 million in damages from her parents.

Esther had been in the spotlight after police arrested her over controversial activities of the Finger of God Church that was then run by Timberlake and musician Joseph Hellon. The church sparked controversy after it was reported to be a cult.

Hellon fell out with Timberlake soon after they formed the political Placenta Party.

Timberlake was arrested in 2010 on suspicion that he held an illegal Kenyan Identification document, but was later freed.

The Kenya Police was at that time also investigating Timberlake and Hellon for being members of an illegal sect.

If the couple is found to have been negligent, they could be prosecuted and their two-year-old placed under state care in line with Australian law.