Tragedy struck Kianjathi village in Mathira West, Nyeri County, after the body of nine-year-old Shantel Waruguru, who had been missing for three days, was gruesomely discovered in a newly built pit latrine on Tuesday.
Shantel Waruguru was last seen last Saturday afternoon after her mother left her at home with her four-year-old sister.
According to locals, Shantel’s uncle and neighbour, 29-year-old Peter Njuguna, passed by the home shortly after and sent the younger child to a nearby shop to buy sweets, giving her Sh10.
When the four-year-old returned moments later, she found the house locked and Shantel missing.
The child’s disappearance was reported at Kiamachibi Police Station at about 2 pm on Saturday, triggering an immediate search by family members and neighbours. For two days, residents combed the area without success.
Mathira West sub-County Police Commander Pixley Musyoki said the search took a grim turn on Monday when Shantel’s inner clothing and shoes were discovered in an abandoned house about five metres from the suspect’s home.
The suspect was arrested shortly afterwards as panic spread among villagers that the girl may have been harmed.
Later that evening, angry residents staged protests near Hohwe Dam after noticing bloodstains along the Karatina–Nairobi dual carriageway raising fears that the child may have been dumped there.
Police intervened and calmed the crowd, allowing the search to continue into Tuesday morning.
Suspicion then shifted to a newly constructed toilet nearby which neighbours said had remained locked since Saturday.
With the help of the search team, residents demolished the structure and made a horrifying discovery: Shantel’s body was found inside the pit latrine.
Police said the body had been cut into parts to fit into the 20-foot pit and her neck was tied with a rope.
The discovery sparked outrage, with enraged villagers torching the suspect’s house as they demanded justice. Mr Musyoki confirmed that the suspect was presented before the Karatina Law Courts on Tuesday morning where investigators were granted permission to detain him for 14 days as inquiries continue.
Wachira Maina, a local resident, said a similar incident had occurred in the area seven years ago, expressing fears that justice may not be served unless investigations are expedited.
Mr Musyoki noted a worrying trend of such crimes in the constituency, saying many cases involve perpetrators known to the victims.
“Such incidents are difficult to prevent because, in most cases, the victim is related to the perpetrator. As a community, we need to know each other better and remain vigilant,” he said.
