This archive report was first published on 9 January 2020.
On Tuesday, a 29-year-old woman, Mercy Anyango, allegedly attacked her four children and attempted to kill herself, sparking a police investigation that may lead to charges of attempted murder.
According to Kisumu County Police Commander Renson Lolmodol, Anyango is currently admitted to Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital and will face the law as soon as she is discharged.
"We are waiting for her to get relief before police can take over the matter. She may have to face charges of attempted murder of the children and attempted suicide," said Mr. Lolmodol.
Anyango's children, aged 13, nine, seven, and five, were admitted to the hospital with open wounds caused by knife stabs. Neighbors broke into the house to save the five people before they were taken to a nearby hospital, which transferred them to the referral hospital for specialized treatment.
Witnesses said they heard screams from Anyango's rental house in Awasi, Nyando Sub-county, prompting them to move closer. "When we moved to check, we saw her stab one child after another, forcing us to break in and disarm her," said a neighbor who asked not to be named.
Anyango claimed that she had been overwhelmed by her husband's stalking and had been unable to fend for her children. She said she had moved away from the troubled home to a nearby village where she got casual jobs at a farm, but her husband had threatened her and forced her to move to Awasi in Kisumu County.
Her husband, George Oketch, admitted that Anyango was indeed his wife and that they had separated, but denied being the cause of the botched suicide. "She is the one who moved out of our family home with all our five children, but our 15-year-old firstborn managed to return," said Oketch.
Anyango's case has sparked concerns about domestic violence and the need for support for victims of abuse.
