Mystery of Kenyan woman found dead in a car in Arizona
Stella W. Kiarie, 29, who was found dead in a parked car on a freeway shoulder in Peoria, Arizona, USA on August 19, 2018. Authorities have launched investigations to establish the cause of her death. PHOTO | COURTESY
What you need to know:
- Authorities are reportedly still investigating the incident to ascertain exactly what happened to Ms Kiarie.
- Ms Kiarie was an employee of the Arizona Department of Health Services.
- The Nation could not establish exactly where in Kenya Ms Kiarie hailed from.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA
Mystery still surround the death of a Kenyan Woman, Stella W. Kiarie, 29, who was found dead in a parked car on a freeway shoulder in Peoria, Arizona.
Authorities are reportedly still investigating the incident to ascertain exactly what happened to Ms Kiarie.
According to Arizona Department of Public Safety (DPS), an American law enforcement agency with focus on protection of Arizona highways, officials received multiple reports early Sunday of a vehicle stopped on the left shoulder of the Loop 101 near Bell Road.
According to the Associated Press, when troopers arrived at the scene on Sunday morning, they found the woman, whom they identified as 29-year-old Stella Kiarie, with a rope around her neck.
INJURIES
On Monday, DPS officials told journalists that the woman had injuries that were not consistent with the minor collision of the car against the wall.
This has raised suspicions of foul play and the Kenyan community in Arizona is calling on the authorities to speed up investigations to unravel how Ms Kiarie died.
“The Kenyan community in Arizona is in shock. We are urging the authorities to speed up investigations because we need answers and we need to know exactly what or who murdered Stella,” said John Kamau, a Kenyan living Phoenix, Arizona.
Mr Kamau told the Nation that Ms Kiarie family which lives in Seattle, Washington, had arrived in Phoenix to follow up on the case.
FUNERAL COMMITTEE
He said a committee working on funeral arrangements would issue a comprehensive statement in due course.
The Nation could not establish exactly where in Kenya Ms Kiarie hailed from.
It was reported that when the detectives opened the car, they found a child safety seat in the car and were concerned the woman might be taking care of a child so they went to her home and found a one-year-old boy alone.
The Department of Child Safety is said to have taken custody of the child.
Investigators have not said if Ms Kiarie is the mother of the boy.
Ms Kiarie was an employee of the Arizona Department of Health Services.
In a statement issued Monday, Ms Kiarie’s colleagues described her as “a kind, compassionate and important member of this team".
"Our deepest condolences are with her family and friends at this difficult time.”
