- Police in Lari, Kiambu County, have arrested a couple accused of beating their seven-year-old son to death.
- The boy died at Lari Level Four Hospital after sustaining injuries from an alleged assault with whips and sticks.
- Detectives are continuing investigations into the death, with the suspects expected to be arraigned in court once inquiries conclude.
A couple is in police custody in Lari, Kiambu County, accused of beating their seven-year-old son to death at their rented home in Karia-ini village, Lari Scheme Location.
The couple was arrested after the boy died while being rushed to Lari Level Four Hospital on Wednesday, following an alleged assault that left him with injuries all over his body. Lari Sub-County Police Commander Emily Ngaruiya said the incident occurred at the family’s rental house in Karia-ini, within Lari-Kirenga Ward.
According to police, the boy’s mother took him to hospital after he sustained serious injuries during the alleged beating, but he died shortly after arriving at the facility, before he could be attended to by a doctor. Hospital staff alerted police, prompting officers from Lari Police Station to visit the facility and launch investigations into the circumstances of the child’s death. “That boy had injuries he sustained from the whips and sticks the parents were using to assault him,” Ngaruiya said.
The police commander said investigators had yet to establish what triggered the alleged assault, adding that detectives were working to establish the events leading to the boy’s death. The couple remains in custody as officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) in Lari complete investigations, with Ngaruiya saying the suspects would be taken to court once the inquiries are concluded.
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The incident has shocked residents of Karia-ini, with locals expressing concern over the alleged abuse of a child within a community where such cases often remain hidden until they result in serious injury or death. A resident, Simon Kimani, said the couple had rented a house in the area after moving from western Kenya, and condemned the incident, saying residents had not expected such a tragedy to occur in their neighbourhood.
The death has renewed calls for greater vigilance by communities in identifying and reporting suspected cases of child abuse before they escalate. Voice of Men Children Network national chairman Bishop James Njenga condemned the alleged assault and welcomed the swift intervention by authorities, saying the suspects should face the full force of the law if found culpable. “There are so many children who are suffering silently in the villages and the estates we are living in, and their parents feel that they will never be known. This is sad. We want society to know that even children have rights and their rights need to be respected,” Njenga said, calling on neighbours, community leaders and members of the public to report suspected cases of child abuse rather than wait until a child suffers serious harm.
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The boy’s death comes amid growing concerns over violence against children in homes, where victims can be particularly vulnerable because perpetrators are often people entrusted with their care. Police said investigations into the Lari case were ongoing and that the cause and circumstances of the child’s death would be established through the inquiry and postmortem process, with the suspects expected to be arraigned in court once detectives complete their investigations.
By Felix Njenga
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