Police arrest Murang'a teen found exhuming mother's body

A teenager has been re-arrested in Muranga County after he was found exhuming his mother’s body because of loneliness.

The teenager was first arrested on Thursday after passers-by who saw him digging out his mother’s grave alerted the police and his relatives.

But he escaped through a rooftop from an Administration Police camp where he was taken after the initial arrest.

Mr Karuga Wanyoike, who was among the first villagers to arrive at the boys’ home on Thursday said the teenager was lonely and wanted to chat with his mother.

By the time the relatives arrived, the boy was only one foot away from reaching his mother’s remains. His mother died last year.

“The man told us that he was feeling very lonely in their home as he stays alone and wanted to exhume her body to talk to her. He is an orphan. His father died when he was one year old,” Mr Wanyoike said.

Mr Wanyoike said the boy is the second born in a family of six, but all his brothers and sisters were taken to children’s homes.

“I’m the one who convinced him to sleep at home after fleeing from the police camp. This made it easy for the police to locate him on Friday when they came looking for him,” said Ms Laura Nyambura, a neighbour.

Ms Nyambura pleaded with police officers to take the teenager to a rehabilitation centre over fears of drug abuse.

Kandara OCPD Wilson Kosgey confirmed the arrest, saying the police are probing the incident.