Government Pathologist Reveals What Killed 6-Month-Old Girl Samantha Pendo from Kisumu

The Western Region consultant government pathologist who conducted a post mortem examination of baby Samantha Pendo has determined what claimed the life of the six-month old infant.

According to Dr Dickson Mchana's report released on Thursday, Baby Pendo died of fatal head fractures brought about by a severe head injury.

"Samantha died of a severe head injury. Actually, it was bad. A gaping fracture on the head is what kept the baby alive because when the skull opens up, it releases pressure. One can therefore survive.

"Otherwise if the head injury had not resulted into the cracking of the skull, she would have died much earlier," the pathologist explained.

The six-month-old succumbed to her injuries on Tuesday at the Aga Khan Hospital in Kisumu.

Baby Pendo had been fighting for her life in the Intensive Care Unit since Saturday when, in an unfortunate incident, a police officer struck her on the head with his baton.

Read More: 6-month-old Kenyan Baby Dies After Being Hit by Police [VIDEO]

"She remained a coma throughout. She never improved," reiterated Dr Sam Oula, the hospital's Medical Director. 

According to spokesperson Mr Amos Pambo,  the family will pursue legal redress on the matter.

"We, as a family, want to ask for a lot of calm. We also want to explore the highest level possible in form of justice.

"It was very sad to see Baby Pendo suffer for that much. As the doctors have indicated, the damage was so grave," Pambo told journalists.    

Baby Pendo was hit by police during a security crackdown following the post-election chaos that emerged in Kisumu after the announcement of President Uhuru Kenyatta's re-election.

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