Locals from Kabiro-ini village in Kirinyaga County were left in shock after a 29-year-old woman jumped into River Nyamindi on Saturday, May 4.
According to residents, the lady jumped into the overflowing river with a five-year-old girl strapped to her back.
Before the incident, the deceased is said to have been cleaning before sneaking out and committing the act. She was in the area to visit her grandparents.
"She was washing clothes inside the compound when she disappeared unnoticed," the grandfather revealed.
An eyewitness, employed at a nearby coffee factory, alerted the police, who promptly responded to the scene and initiated the search for the bodies.
As of now, the reason behind her drastic decision to jump alongside her daughter remains unclear.
The family has made a heartfelt appeal for assistance in retrieving their bodies for burial, while residents have also joined in the search efforts.
"We ask the government for help to retrieve the bodies of our loved ones. We are yet to know why she took such an action that has left us mourning," a relative stated.
As of Sunday morning, the body of the five-year-old had been retrieved from the river with operations ongoing to recover the mother's body.
Johnson Wachira the Gichungu Sub-County Police Commander told the press that the body was found floating by some residents who were fetching water from the river.
The body was taken to the Kibugi funeral home for an autopsy and preservation before the burial.
"We are working together with residents to make sure her mother's body is discovered," the officer assured the family.
