Attempted murder charge for teen who dumped baby in pit latrine

A file photo of a pit latrine. The baby was rescued on September 1, 2019 by police officers and members of the public and taken to Kilifi County Referral Hospital. PHOTO | JARED NYATAYA | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • The girl gave birth and decided to throw away the baby because she wanted to go back to school.
  • But her mother saw her bleeding and took her to hospital where it was confirmed that she had given birth.
  • The baby was discovered floating on waste in the eight-foot latrine.
  • Ganze OCPD Patrick Ngeiywa said the girl will be charged at a Kilifi court on Monday with attempted murder.

A 17-year-old-girl from Ganze, Kilifi County, has been arrested for dumping her baby in a pit latrine shortly after giving birth.

Police officers from Ganze have arrested the girl in Makini village, Dzikunze sub-location, alongside the man who impregnated her.

The class six pupil gave birth on August 30 at around 6pm.

Her baby was rescued on September 1 by police officers and members of the public and taken to Kilifi County Referral Hospital. The child is stable.

SHOCKED MOTHER

Dzikunze Senior Assistant Chief Simon Ruwa said that for the three days, people who wanted to relieve themselves could not use the latrine because of sounds of a baby crying each time it heard footsteps.

He said that when he checked, he saw a baby floating on waste in the eight-foot latrine, with the right hand on the stomach.

“I stamped my foot and the baby started crying so I called police officers who rescued the infant. The umbilical cord had not been cut,” Mr Ruwa said.

DEFILEMENT CLAIM

Mr Ruwa said the girl had informed the man of the pregnancy.

He said she claimed, however, that she did not know she was pregnant and that the man forced her to have an abortion, but that it was later discovered that this was a lie.

The administrator said investigations established the teenager carried the pregnancy to term.

“We called the boy and he admitted that he was aware the girl was pregnant from the first day. At no point did he ask her to kill the baby. She made the decision by herself," he said.

“The girl gave birth and decided to throw away the baby because she wanted to go back to school. But the mother saw her bleeding and took her to hospital, where it was confirmed that she had given birth, but she did not have the baby."

Mr Ruwa said it was then that the girl's father summoned her for an explanation.

MURDER CHARGE

The head teacher at the school the girl attended said he was informed of the incident on September 2, when learners returned for the third term.

“I was shocked because the girl never skipped school. We were with her on closing day and she did not show any signs of being pregnant. Her tummy was flat,” the head teacher said.

He further described the girl as a quiet, average performer who was active in athletics and other co-curriculum activities.

Ganze divisional police commander (OCPD) Patrick Ngeiywa said the girl will be charged at a Kilifi court on Monday with attempted murder.

The boy will be charged with defilement, he said.