This archive report was first published on 23 October 2019.
On October 21, 2019, a one-and-a-half-year-old boy, Lean Murerwa, was rushed to Magutuni Sub-County hospital in Tharaka-Nithi County after being allegedly sodomised by his father, Derick Muchiri.
County Commissioner Beverly Opwora confirmed that the boy was pronounced dead upon arrival at the hospital.
Investigations revealed that the boy had suffered serious injuries to his anus.
Ms Opwora stated, 'The hospital called the police after noticing the injuries on the child and upon interrogation, the officers suspected the father to be the main culprit.'
Derick Muchiri, a known suspected drug addict, is currently being held by police and will be arraigned in court soon.
Ms Opwora attributed the rise in defilement and child abuse cases in the region to drug abuse and illicit brew consumption.
She also noted that most of the barbaric crimes were being committed by family members of people who are well known to the children.
As part of efforts to curb drug abuse and liquor consumption, the county commissioner said security officers in the region had intensified crackdown and in the last two months had arrested 147 drug peddlers and brewers and poured more than 10,000 litres of illicit brew.
She added that they had also netted 1,900kg of bhang and 192 rolls of the marijuana.
Ms Opwora appealed to religious leaders to take their role of counseling young families seriously, noting the need for a concerted effort to redeem the society's ruined morality.
