Catherine Njeri: Caretaker Reveals Last Moment of Lady Who Fell From 7th Floor

A collage of the late Catherine Njeri (left) and the building in Ruaka where she fell from the 7th floor on Sunday May 21, 2023
A collage of the late Catherine Njeri (left) and the building in Ruaka where she fell from the 7th floor on Sunday, May 21, 2023
Kenyans.co.ke

The caretaker of an apartment in Ruaka where Catherine Njeri, a college student, fell to death, narrated the last moments before the incident.

Addressing the media on Tuesday, May 23, the caretaker noted that the lady had visited a friend who lived with her boyfriend for a party. 

Njeri left the house and headed to the seventh floor, the rooftop, alongside the friend's boyfriend on the day the incident occurred, Sunday night, May 21.

The caretaker, who was at his house as the party went on, could not account for the intention of the victim and the friend's boyfriend nor how much time they spent on the rooftop. 

Police officers on patrol outside Nairobi's County Assembly Building
Police officers on patrol in Nairobi.
Photo
NPS

However, at around 11 pm, the caretaker heard a loud thud like a carpet falling. He rushed to the scene, where he found the lady lying in a pool of blood.

"The tenant lives on the sixth floor. I was on the ground floor when I heard the loud noise. At first, I thought it was a carpet, but when I arrived at the scene, I realised it was a person," he stated.

He later called the victim's friends and the police to assess the situation.

"All her friends were scared, even those who had fallen asleep were forced to wake up. They rushed to the ground floor to witness," he added.

From the photos, the lady was half naked, lying face flat on the floor and her head covered in blood. Her body was transferred to the local morgue as investigations commenced to unravel the events of the faithful night.

The 23-year-old was a student at the Kenya Institute of Management. Her family and friends urged police to hasten the investigations.

"As a family, we want to know what exactly transpired, was she pushed or did she throw herself to her death," her elder sister stated.

In connection to the incident, police officers on Tuesday, May 23, arrested three men and two women to help in the investigations.

"When the incident happened, she was in the company of five friends who have been taken in to aid in investigations," Peter Maina, Kiambaa Deputy Commissioner, revealed.

A photo collage of detectives investigating Jeff Mwathi's death at DJ Fatxo's apartments.
A screengrab of detectives investigating Jeff Mwathi's death at DJ Fatxo's apartments on March 10, 2023.
Kenyans.co.ke

Njeri's case was among several similar incidents, especially involving college students between the ages of 20 and 25 falling from high-rise apartments in the city.

In February 2023, a young man, Jeff Mwathi, was found lying lifeless on the floor of an apartment in Kasarani, Nairobi County, after a night of club hopping with his friends. Popular musician, Lawrence Njuguna (DJ Fatxo) was delisted as the main suspect, with police indicating that they had insufficient evidence to tie him to the case. 

In April 2023, a 26-year-old woman sustained critical injuries after falling from a second-floor apartment in Kasarani. Cynthia Mboya was allegedly pushed by her boyfriend. 

According to the police involved, some cases were ruled out as suicides due to various factors.

Counsellors, medics, and psychologists encourage you to seek help when experiencing mental health issues. Call Kenya Red Cross toll-free hotline, 1199, for support.

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