MLOLONGO, Machakos county – A quiet Mlolongo neighborhood was shattered by an unspeakable tragedy on Tuesday, leading to the arrest of a 28-year-old woman suspected of poisoning her three young children following a domestic dispute.
The suspect, identified as Linet Mubaba, is currently being held at Mlolongo Police Station. She is alleged to have administered a poisonous substance to her children—one-year-old twins and a four-year-old—before fleeing the family home.
A Domestic Dispute Turns Deadly
Preliminary police reports and accounts from neighbors point to a heated argument between Mubaba and her husband, Alex Mogeni, a long-distance truck driver, earlier in the day. The exact nature of the disagreement remains unclear, but investigators are treating it as a central catalyst for the subsequent events.
“The husband, Mr. Mogeni, had left the home after the quarrel. We believe it was shortly after his departure that the suspect carried out the act,” stated Mlolongo Sub-County Police Commander, Joseph Ouko. “Upon his return, he made the horrific discovery.”
Neighbors described a scene of growing commotion, followed by screams and the arrival of police. “We heard the father wailing. When we rushed over, we saw the children… it was devastating. We had just seen them playing outside yesterday,” said one neighbor, who requested anonymity due to the sensitivity of the case.
Investigation and Arrest
Authorities say Mubaba fled the scene immediately after the incident. A coordinated search involving local police and community members led to her arrest hours later in a nearby settlement.
“The suspect was traced and apprehended while attempting to board public transport. She is currently cooperating with investigators as we piece together the full sequence of events,” Commander Ouko added.
The bodies of the children have been transferred to the City Mortuary in Nairobi, where forensic pathologists will conduct postmortem examinations. Toxicological tests will be critical in confirming the type of poison used.
Broader Context: A Recurring National Nightmare
This incident has sent shockwaves through the community and reignited painful national conversations about mental health, domestic pressures, and the protection of children. Sadly, cases of filicide—where a parent kills their child—often linked to marital strife, depression, or economic desperation, have been reported with alarming frequency in Kenya.
“These tragedies are often a catastrophic endpoint of unaddressed psychosocial distress,” commented Dr. Wanjiku Ndegwa, a clinical psychologist specializing in family trauma. “The perpetrator is frequently in a state of profound crisis, seeing no way out, and sometimes tragically viewing their children as an extension of a conflict or a burden they cannot bear. It highlights the desperate need for accessible mental health support and community intervention systems, especially for young mothers under immense stress.”
Community leaders in Mlolongo have called for calm and urged the public to avoid speculation, allowing the police and judicial process to run its course. A local religious leader, Pastor Samuel Kioko, announced plans for a community prayer vigil and counseling sessions for traumatized neighbors and the children’s classmates.
Police say the investigation is ongoing and will examine all angles, including the family’s history, the procurement of the suspected poison, and the exact timeline of events. Mubaba is expected to be arraigned in court later this week to face murder charges.
