Grief, unanswered questions after Grade 9 girl’s killing on eve of return to school

For Ms Leah Muthoni, August 23 began like any other day at home, with the familiar routine of a mother and daughter preparing for the return to school after the holiday.

She spent almost the entire day with her second-born daughter, Grace Ngarua, and there was nothing to suggest that it would be the last day she would see her 14-year-old daughter alive.

Ngarua, a Grade Nine pupil at Echareria Primary School in Mbaruk Ward, Gilgil sub-county, woke up, had breakfast and helped with chores before turning her attention to preparations for school.

She was expected back in class the following day and was looking forward to sitting her examinations this year before transitioning to senior school.

In an interview at their home in Echareria village, Ms Muthoni said that mid-morning, Ngarua excused herself and went to a salon to have her hair done.

Hours later, Ngarua returned home and found her mother had already prepared lunch. She ate and continued with her preparations for school.

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But as evening approached, the ordinary family day took a devastating turn.

According to Ms Muthoni, her daughter, who was in the kitchen preparing dinner, left home at around 6:40pm without indicating where she was going.

“Before going missing, I had sent her to the nearby shop and she came back. She was alone in the kitchen while I was just in the living room. I noticed she was not around when I went to pick something in the kitchen. She had volunteered to cook on that day. I thought she had stepped out and would return,” recalled Ms Muthoni.

She said that when Ngarua failed to return, they began searching for her in the neighbourhood. By 9pm, the family called off the search, hoping they would find her the following morning.

According to Ms Muthoni, on Monday evening she received a disturbing phone call from her husband, who was on his way back home from Mbaruk Police Station.

Ngarua's body had been discovered dumped in a thicket along the railway, a kilometre from their home.

“I do not know what she did to deserve such. I have not quarrelled with anyone in the village to transfer that grudge to my daughter. She died a painful death. We just pray that the suspect will be apprehended for my daughter to get justice. She was a bright girl in school,” she said amid tears.

Ngarua's father, Mr Onesmus Karanja, said that before leaving for work, Ngarua had told him about her day's plan.

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He said Ngarua asked for money to have her hair plaited, but he did not have money at the time. He promised to send it later and proceeded to work. He kept his word, sending the money through Ngarua’s mother.

Mr Karanja, a boda boda rider, said that on that day, he maintained his habit of calling home while at work to check on his family. Ngarua even reported to him that she had plaited her hair and was continuing with her preparations.

However, after completing his work, he headed home, only to be told that his daughter was missing.

He asked Ngarua’s elder brother to search neighbouring homes and other places where she could have gone, but the efforts yielded nothing.

According to Mr Karanja, Ngarua left with a mobile phone which he had bought to ease communication whenever their mother was not around. The calls went unanswered before the phone was eventually switched off.

“She was jovial the whole time. I did not know that that would be the last time I would ever see my daughter alive. We did not sleep that night. I was just hoping that she would knock on the door,” he said.

He said that he went to Mbaruk Police Post, where he made a missing-person report, and while on his way home, he noticed a crowd gathered by the roadside. He was informed that a body had been dumped nearby.

He stopped his motorcycle and moved closer, unaware that the body belonged to the daughter his family had spent the entire day desperately searching for.

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Police officers were informed and moved the body to the mortuary, awaiting a postmortem.

“I was riding on a motorbike. I just parked by the roadside. Even before I got close, I identified the sweater she had worn. It was heartbreaking to see my daughter in that state. I called my wife, who rushed to the scene,” he said.

Her parents are now demanding answers over what happened between the time she left home and when her body was discovered.

Gilgil Subcounty Police Commander Winston Mwakio said the matter was forwarded to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations for further investigations.

He said police had already recorded statements from several witnesses, including Ngarua’s parents.

“The DCI team went back to the scene today for further investigation. So far, no arrest has been made, but we are following some leads to apprehend some suspects. The parents have notified us that residents have planned a peaceful demonstration,” Mr Mwakio said.

Paul Mwaniki, a neighbour, said the incident was particularly disturbing because it reminded residents of another killing involving a young girl in 2023.

Jasmine Njoki, a Grade Six pupil at Roots Academy, was murdered while on her way home from school before her body was dumped in a thicket along the railway line. Her killers are yet to be arrested, three years later.

“It is painful that we are raising our children and they are just being murdered. We just plead with security agencies to act. We cannot be losing our children. Drug abuse and idleness among some youths in the area is also on the rise,” he said.

Former Gilgil MP Mathenge Nderitu, who had visited the grieving family, called on the DCI to move with speed, saying the family deserved answers and justice.

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