This archive report was first published on 28 December 2019.
On Christmas Day, a six-month-old baby boy named Haggai Bushuru lost his life in a shocking incident in Shikokhwe village, Malava, Kakamega County.
According to Robai Toboko, the baby's mother, the infant had crawled towards a hen and its week-old chicks, prompting her to chase the hen away. However, the hen became furious and jumped on the child, causing severe trauma.
"The hen jumped with one of its wings brushing my baby on the face. He was traumatized and started crying until he fell unconscious," Robai recalled.
Despite the mother's initial denial of any health issues with her son, she later acknowledged that the incident had shocked her and that her child would often panic at the slightest provocation.
After the incident, the family took the unconscious child to the local church for prayers, but unfortunately, they soon realized that the toddler was not breathing.
As per local tradition, the hen that killed the infant was slaughtered and roasted for the elders to eat, while women and children were forbidden from tasting the roasted hen.
