Molo teenager confesses to killing mother for withholding father's identity

Police have arrested a 16-year-old boy for allegedly killing his mother in Molo, Nakuru County, on Friday following a family dispute.

Molo Sub-County Police Commander Timon Odingo said the boy allegedly hacked his mother, Beth Wanjiku, 48, and attempted to conceal the crime by digging a shallow grave at their homestead.

Odingo stated that the boy confessed to killing his mother, with whom he had been living, for failing to disclose information about his father.

“He demanded to know his father, but his mother did not tell him, so he beat her until she collapsed and died on the spot. He then dug a grave in a disused house and buried her,” the officer said.

The woman’s body was discovered on Saturday evening. Monica Wanjiku said her sister-in-law disappeared on Friday, only for her body to be found the following day.

“She was missing, which was unlike her, but on Saturday, her brothers opened her door, which was locked from the inside, only to find her lying in a pool of blood with deep cut wounds,” Wanjiku said.

She claimed the boy had dropped out of school, which created tension within the family.

“His elder brother had decided to remove the boy’s room door as a punishment, hoping he would agree to return to school, but the act seems to have agitated him,” she added.

She claimed the teenager confessed to killing his mother, had dug a shallow grave, and intended to dispose of the body.

Wanjiku said after the boy dropped out of school a month ago he had become unapproachable.

She added that her sister-in-law had not shared the information with other family members, making it difficult to grasp the gravity of the situation.

“Beth’s brothers kicked down the door, and we found her dead. Her son was hiding under the bed, pretending to be dead, she added.

Lucy Wambui said the boy was conservative and never shared his feelings with anyone.

The body has since been taken to the Elburgon Sub-County Hospital mortuary for preservation.