UPDATE Sunday, May 10: A middle-aged woman who fled the Kisii Bus Terminus after stealing a 7-month-old baby from an unsuspecting passenger (Sheila Nyaboke) was nabbed by detectives on Sunday, May 10.
She was apprehended after area residents positively identified her from the CCTV footage aired by Citizen TV, showing her holding the baby just minutes before the mother raised alarm after losing her child.
Pressed on her motive for stealing the baby after her arrest, she claimed that she wanted to use the baby to try and rekindle the love with her husband. She further explained that she had lost her son and needed the baby to try and bring her husband back home.
Sheila Nyaboke, a resident in Kisii County is distraught after her baby was kidnapped by a passenger she travelled with from Nakuru to Kisii County.
In a report aired on May 9 by Citizen TV, Nyaboke narrated that on arrival at the Kisii bus terminus, a passenger who was seated next to her in a matatu followed her and requested to help with the baby as the mother was using the washroom.
At the washroom, CCTV cameras captured both Nyaboke and the woman, as they took turns holding the baby.
Afterwards, they got back in the matatu with the friendly woman offering to buy Nyaboke's seven-month-old baby some juice.
"She told me that the juice that was being hawked was not healthy and opted to go to the shop with my baby, where she said she would buy the juice," an emotional mother explained.
The woman then went with the baby under the guise of buying juice, only for her to disappear.
Kisii Sub-County Commander Augustine Obonyo stated that the police had since launched a manhunt for the suspect.
"Police visited the scene at the bus terminus but were not able to get the suspect. We are still investigating the matter and when found, we shall charge her with the offense of stealing a child," he stated.
Nyaboke was not able to get the suspect's name or where she lived despite her friendly overtures.
"She kept telling me that my baby was healthy and that I had fed him well," she narrated.
Child theft syndicates seem to be on the rise in Kisii town with several cases recorded by the police.
Below is a video courtesy of Citizen TV;
Child Theft Syndicate:
— Citizen TV Kenya (@citizentvkenya) May 9, 2020
CCTV captures woman stealing a child in Kisii County
Woman stole 8-month-old boy after duping his mother
Nyaboke: She pretended to help me hold the boy
Several children have been reported stolen in the county#CitizenWeekend@VickyRubadiri pic.twitter.com/8d4Qp8UYAN
