Shock as boy, 13, dies by suicide in Tharaka Nithi County
A 13-year-old boy from Kangutu in Mariani Location, Tharaka Nithi reportedly hanged himself, bringing to four the number of suicide cases reported in the county in the last three days.
Meru South police commander Eunia Onyancha said the body of the Standard Seven boy at Sala Academy was discovered by his mother at around 7 am on Wednesday. Police were informed about the incident at 10:40 am.
She said the boy did not leave behind a suicide note and that police had launched investigations.
“The body of the 13-year-old Class Seven boy was moved to Chuka County Referral Hospital mortuary awaiting postmortem,” said Ms Onyancha.
The police chief said the parents revealed the deceased had attempted to die by suicide before for unknown reasons.
Ms Onyancha urged parents to be ‘very’ close to their children to understand the challenges they were facing ‘because not all children are free to reveal their problems.’
She noted that the increased cases of suicide could be as a result of stress occasioned by the high costs of living.
On Tuesday, a police inspector attached to the Chogoria Police Station reportedly died after hanging himself in his rented house.
Tharaka Nithi County Police Commander Donatha Chali Kiplagat said police were unable to immediately establish what pushed the officer in charge of crime at the station to die by suicide because he did not leave behind a suicide note.
On Sunday night, a mother of three, Ms Pamela Wanja of Kamacuku village in Muthambi Sub-County reportedly killed her husband, Moses Kirimi Mati who until his death was the Chuka University's Architect and Head of the Estates Department, before hanging herself.
Ms Wanja left a suicide note apologizing to his three children for the action.
Last Saturday night, a man from Igambang'ombe hanged himself in his house.
He left a suicide note, explaining that he decided to end his life because he could not bear the pain of his wife going out with other men.