The family of Margaret Wanjiru, a three-year-old girl allegedly murdered in Bahati sub-county, Nakuru, is demanding justice after their daughter was lured from church and killed. The main suspect is a 17-year-old girl who, according to the grieving parents, displayed disturbing behavior both before and after the crime.
What happened before the three-year-old’s murder?
Regina Wangui, Margaret’s mother, shared her daughter’s final moments at PCEA Shalom Church in Mchanganyiko. “When the main service ordinarily ends, there is a place where the children go to receive their Sunday School teachings while the parents retire to another room for their service. That is the last point I saw my daughter alive,” Wangui said.
Moments later, she discovered her daughter unconscious and raised the alarm. However, the teenage suspect remained calm, even holding her sibling as church members ran to the scene. “The CCTV footage showed the moment I raised the alarm after I found my daughter unconscious. The suspect is seen holding her sibling and not even rushing to the scene, oblivious of the crime she had committed,” she said.
Why do the parents believe a cult may be involved?
Margaret’s father, Peter Kirathe, believes the killing may be linked to cult-like activities. “You can’t commit such a capital offence and still dare to return to the church and appear as if nothing had happened. It seems some of these children have been initiated into the Illuminati. We don’t know whether she had been sent, especially after confessing her hate for the three-year-old girl,” he said.
His concern stems not just from the brutality of the crime but also from the suspect’s detached behavior and apparent lack of remorse.
What are the authorities doing about the case?
Bahati sub-county police commander Lilis Wachira confirmed that the 17-year-old girl was arrested and placed under investigation. CCTV footage reportedly shows her at the scene. Wachira noted that a mental health evaluation will be conducted. “The matter is actively before DCI officers, who will investigate the motive that drove her to commit the offence, given they are all children,” Wachira said.
Earlier, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations stated that the suspect allegedly lured Margaret out of the church before using a piece of cloth to end her life.
As investigations continue, the community remains shaken, and the family is calling for a full inquiry into what led to the shocking murder of their only child.
By Yockshard Enyendi
