A woman from Karanja village, Kwale County was arrested for dousing her son in kerosene then setting him ablaze after he took Sh50 meant for food.
Neighbors responded to a distress call by the boy on Wednesday.
They found the woman standing over him as she watched him burn.
They quickly put the fire out and rushed the boy to hospital.
The boy's father who had not been home joined the neighbors as they took him to hospital.
According to The Star, the woman admitted to having burned her son.
She said she saw it as fitting punishment, so her son could stop stealing.
The boy however says he did not steal the money, insisting that he found the money on the ground and used it to buy food as he was hungry.
The woman is currently in custody at Kwale police station.
