Baby 'stolen' from Nairobi dies in Naivasha

The Naivasha Sub-County Hospital. A day-old baby suspected to have been stolen from Nairobi and taken to the facility for treatment died on June 10, 2019. PHOTO | FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • The baby was twice resuscitated but her condition continued to deteriorate.
  • Police said a 28-year-old woman suspected to have stolen the baby was in police custody.

A day-old baby suspected to have been stolen from Nairobi and taken to the Naivasha Sub-County Hospital for treatment has died.   

The hospital’s medical superintendent Dr Angeline Ithondeka said the baby was taken to the hospital on Saturday in critical condition.

“Unfortunately, we lost the baby only hours after she was brought in,” said Dr Ithondeka on Monday.

RESUSCITATED

 She explained that the baby was twice resuscitated but her condition continued to deteriorate.

Naivasha Sub-County Police Commander John Kwasa said a 28-year-old woman suspected to have stolen the baby was in police custody.

“The suspect has given the police three different versions of how she got the baby,” he said.

Upon taking the baby to the hospital, the suspect claimed the baby was hers. She however changed the story after being arrested. She claimed to have bought the baby at health facility in Kawangware, Nairobi, for Sh50,000.

BABY DUMPED

“After telling the police that she bought the baby from its mother, the suspect later claimed to have found the baby dumped at Kihoto Estate in Naivasha,” said Mr Kwasa.

Mr Kwasa said the case had been handed over to detectives in Nairobi. The suspect had initially taken the ailing baby to Naivasha for treatment. The nurses became suspicious and subjected her to determine whether she had given birth. The tests turned out to be negative.