This archive report was first published on 20 June 2020.
A 19-year-old girl in Lamu County, Kenya, tragically lost her life on June 19, 2020, in a heart-wrenching incident that has left many in shock.
According to the police, the young woman hanged herself inside her family's kitchen in Faza town, Lamu East.
Investigations are ongoing, but authorities believe the motive behind her actions was a love triangle. The girl had reportedly discovered that her boyfriend was cheating on her.
Emmanuel Okanda, the Lamu East OCPD, stated, 'We are still investigating, but we understand the young lady had found out her boyfriend had another girl. She didn’t leave any note. We also understand she quarreled with some girls shortly before she took her life and we are looking into that too.'
Okanda urged teenagers to avoid straining themselves in relationships and taking reckless actions, no matter how painful the situation.
Statistics from the World Health Organisation reveal that nearly 800,000 people commit suicide every year, translating to one suicide every 40 seconds.
In Kenya, the number of reported suicides rose by 58% between 2008 and 2017, reaching 421 cases in 2017. The data also shows that more men are likely to commit suicide than women, with 330 out of 421 cases involving men.
The incident serves as a stark reminder of the devastating consequences of love triangles and the importance of seeking help when dealing with relationship issues.
Just a year ago, another teenager, Dennis Ngugi, 18, hanged himself inside a church in Gilgil, Nakuru County, leaving behind a torn suicide note.
