Eileen Cherotich, a 22-year-old Rift Valley Institute of Science and Technology (RVIST) student who was found dead in Nakuru on Sunday after a night out with friends, died of a severe head injury, a post-mortem examination has revealed.
Government pathologist Dr Titus Ngulungu, who conducted the autopsy at Nakuru City mortuary, said his findings were consistent with earlier reports that the deceased had fallen from a moving car, as her
“As a result of my examination, I have formed the opinion that the cause of death was a medullary injury and a skull fracture to the forehead. She had no injuries to her palms, which would indicate a lack of reflexes. Injuries to the palms often indicate that she may have tried to break the fall, but this was not the case. We therefore concluded that the deceased must have been unconscious to have fallen in the manner she did," said Dr Ngulungu.
The post-mortem also revealed that the deceased had other secondary injuries, including bruising on her lungs, consistent with rolling on the ground several times.
Dr Ngulungu also ruled out the possibility that the deceased was stabbed, saying her right hip had a puncture wound that did not go inwards, meaning she landed on a blunt object, which is not consistent with stab wounds.
The results were released as Cherotich's family revealed that her educational journey was made possible by a fundraiser spearheaded by the African Inland Church (AIC) Bomet County.
After staying at home for four years following her KCSE exams, the church raised funds to help her join the Rift Valley Institute of Science and Technology (RVIST).
Now her family is demanding justice after the second year student died in mysterious circumstances after a night out with friends in Nakuru.
"We have heard many stories about the circumstances of our daughter's death. But we want to state clearly that our position is that she was murdered and we want the police to get to the bottom of it," said Eileen's mother, Agnes Rotich, at the family home in Ngainet village.
Speaking to journalists at her home where funeral arrangements were being made, Ms Rotich said that on the day of her death, Eileen had indicated that she was going to a local salon to have her hair braided. The family was later informed that she had died.
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Photo credit: Pool, Boniface Mwangi | Nation
"We were banking on her to complete her education, get a job and change our social status.
We expected her to build us a house in the future," Mrs Rotich told Nation. Africa. The family lives in a mud-walled thatched house.
Eileen's parents depend on odd jobs for a living, and on weekends and holidays, their children also help.
"We had no money for her education and the church members raised money to send her to college. It is devastating to imagine that she will return home in a coffin and not with a graduation gown," said Mrs Rotich.
The family is also relying on the church and the local community to cover all the costs of the funeral.
She continued: “We are calling on the police to unravel the circumstances under which she was killed, arrest and prosecute the perpetrators. All we ask is that justice be done. There is not much we can do because of our (humble) background.”
Eileen's father David Rotich said his daughter's body had been taken to the mortuary at Kapkatet Sub County Hospital in neighbouring Kericho County.
"The claims that she was involved in an accident are lies. Why she had to die the way she did, the dumping of the body by the roadside and the attempt to cover it up is beyond our comprehension," Mr Rottich said.
Esther Koskei, an aunt of the deceased, said the police should get to the bottom of the matter and ensure that the suspects are prosecuted now that there were students who revealed Cherotich's last movements.
"The fact that there were people before the body was found by the roadside is enough evidence for the police to make arrests and prosecute," Ms Koskei said.
Pastor Benard Ngeno of Soiyment AIC confirmed that church members had initiated a fundraising campaign to help the student attend college because of the family's humble background.
The family learned of the death on Sunday after being contacted by the college administration in a shocking incident.
"The church members hoped that she would return home after college and help turn the family's fortunes around. But the circumstances in which she died are shocking and unbelievable. It is a great loss to the family, the church and the community. We urge the police to speed up investigations into the matter even as preparations for the funeral are being finalised," said Pastor Ngeno.
He called on students to be careful of the friends they associate with while pursuing their education and to always remember where they come from.
