A man is in police custody after a horrific murder-suicide attempt that left his wife and two young children dead in Ngurubani town, Mwea, Kirinyaga County.
The tragedy unfolded on the night of August 15, when neighbours were alerted by screams from the family's home, culminating in a scene of unimaginable horror.
According to witnesses, the suspect, identified as the family's patriarch, emerged from the house with severe burns on his body and a rope around his neck, in a failed attempt to take his own life.
Alarmed by the sight, residents quickly gathered and entered the house, where they made the grim discovery.
There, they found a disturbing scene: three bodies, believed to be the wife and two children, burned beyond recognition.
"I heard people arguing in the house, then I heard the children saying 'don't stab mum with a knife'. After a while, I saw the house was full of fire, and I came and found the old man coming out, screaming," a neighbour claimed.
"I hear the soldier said there was a conflict because they had been fighting all night. The old man who came out had a rope tied around him and was on fire. They put out the fire, and his clothes are still there. The firefighters went inside and found three bodies: two children and one adult," another witness added.
Police have launched an investigation into the incident, with reports indicating it may have been triggered by a domestic dispute.
Married Man Fatally Stabs Alleged Girlfriend in Thika
In another incident, a 36-year-old married man is in police custody in Thika, Kiambu County, for the brutal murder of his 20-year-old college student girlfriend.
The suspect was arrested after the body of his alleged girlfriend was discovered inside his house.
According to police reports, the victim, a campus student, was found with a fatal stab wound to the neck. The gruesome discovery was made by a concerned neighbour who raised the alarm.
While the motive behind the killing is still under investigation, detectives are probing the possibility that a domestic dispute, believed to be over money, may have led to the tragic act.
