She kept everything close to her heart. No one could truly read her or see beyond the facade she presented to friends and relatives.
In a chilling confession that stunned her community, 21-year-old Linet Wangechi admitted to dumping her one-and-a-half-year-old cousin into River Gura.
Even she, it appeared, could not fully comprehend what had happened in that moment. Later, she told police that it was the work of the devil.
Baby Mary Wanjiru’s body was retrieved from River Gura on the evening of Friday, April 10, two days after she had been reported missing by her family. She was wearing a yellow sweater and blue trousers—the last clothes she was seen in on April 8 at her home in Gondo, Tetu Constituency. Her body was found trapped in roots and weeds in the river, just a few metres from the homestead.
Baby Mary Wanjiru, whose body was retrieved from River Gura in Tetu constituency on April 10. She had been reported missing for two days before the discovery.
Photo credit: Pool
“On Wednesday (April 8) at around 12.30 pm, I stepped out briefly to cut grass for my goats in the neighbourhood and left my toddler in the company of Linet’s two-year-old child. The two were eating sugarcane while playing, as they always do,” she said.
At the time, the toddlers were under the care of Anne’s first-born daughter, a 12-year-old girl, as well as Linet, who were both within the homestead.
“Before I left, I told Linet that she was in charge of the kids and asked her to watch over them,” Anne said.
She was gone for less than an hour. When she returned, her baby was nowhere to be seen.
Panic set in immediately and together with Linet, they searched the compound and surrounding paths.
As concern grew, neighbours joined in. For two days, they combed the area with the assistance of police.
Throughout the search, locals say Linet remained calm, actively involved and she appeared composed, even helpful.
“She was the first person to post about my missing baby on Facebook and alerted locals that my child was missing,” said Anne. That quiet presence, once seen as harmless, would later raise suspicion.
However, the events leading up to the toddler’s disappearance only became clearer after Linet’s confession.
Baby Mary’s sister said a disagreement broke out between the two toddlers over sugarcane they were eating. Linet’s child reportedly ran to their house crying, saying her sugarcane had been taken. The 12-year-old remembers hearing the commotion.
“She passed outside the kitchen where I was cleaning, crying for her sugarcane. Before I could respond, she had already run to her mother’s house,” she said.
Moments later, Linet asked the older girl to check on the toddler, but she declined, saying she was unwell and still busy with chores.
“When I asked her where she was coming from, she said she was from the shop. I found it unusual for her to be carrying Mary alone because the children are usually together,” said the resident, who requested anonymity.
Ms Anne Wangechi and Mr Alexander Muheria, parents of Mary Wanjiru, at their home in Tetu during an interview on April 11, 2026.
Photo credit: Mercy Mwende | Nation Media Group
When pressed further, Linet allegedly said her child was asleep but later contradicted herself, claiming the child was watching cartoons.
“I was shocked that a minor disagreement could have led to the death of my daughter. I have never known Linet to be violent,” said the victim’s mother.
Residents described Linet as a quiet, reserved single mother.
On Friday, detectives interrogated her throughout the day. An officer privy to the investigations said a close relative intervened before she finally confessed.
“She said she did not recognise herself or understand what she was doing when she threw her cousin into the river and that it only dawned on her later,” said Mr Too.
According to the police boss, the suspect is set to undergo a mental assessment on Tuesday to determine whether she is fit to stand trial.
A postmortem examination on the deceased is also scheduled for Wednesday to establish the exact cause of death.
The suspect will be presented in court on Monday, where police will seek seven days to complete investigations.
