This archive report was first published on 7 July 2020.
On the night of July 6, 2020, a devastating tragedy unfolded in Webuye, Kakamega County, when a 24-year-old woman, identified as Winnie, allegedly dumped her three children into River Nzoia before taking her own life.
According to eyewitnesses, Winnie had been staying with her sister, Alice Magoma, after a disagreement with her husband. Alice reported that Winnie had been acting normally in the evening, relaxing and chatting, but had left her to cook supper without any indication of her plans.
The children, who were left in the care of Winnie, were allegedly told that they were going to nearby shops, but were instead pushed into the river by their mother. One of the children, a girl, managed to cling to a branch and was later rescued by Joseph Maleso, the chairman of the local Nyumba Kumi neighbourhood watch.
The bodies of Winnie and her two children are yet to be found, and the incident has sent shockwaves through the community.