The family of James Gakara, a Nakuru-based doctor accused of killing his two children and attempted suicide, is still reeling in shock from the unfortunate incident that took place on September 15, 2021.
Mary Gakara, the doctor's sister, disclosed that the tragic incident had left the family traumatized. She, however, disputed claims that Gakara and his wife had engaged in a brawl a night before the fatal incident.
She noted that his brother loved his family and was always ready to do anything to support them.
"The tragedy has been too much to bear for the family because my brother is such a humble person who rarely gets into conflicts with people. We are very shocked at what happened, we feel like it is a bad nightmare and we want the dream to end," she told the media.
Gakara is said to have been jovial throughout the weekend and did not show any signs of distress.
The doctor allegedly injected his two children, aged three and five, with insulin on at their upmarket Milimani home, before he also attempted to end his own life.
Police officers were swift and managed to rush him to the Nakuru Level Five Hospital where he is recuperating at the Intensive Care Unit.
A post mortem conducted on the two babies to establish the cause of death was, however, inconclusive.
Samples have been collected from the two bodies for further toxicology investigations.
At the same time, Gakara's wife, who was admitted due to shock-related symptoms, has been discharged.
The Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentist Union (KMPDU) emphasized the need for mental wellness among doctors.
KMPDU Secretary General, Davji Atella, stated that doctors from both private and public hospitals needed to help each other in creating awareness.
"We are realising that most of these issues are escalating when doctors are not treated as part of the society to handle the issues by themselves."
