19-year-old Kirinyaga girl dies by suicide after calling father, sister to hurry home

Shock has engulfed Red Soil village in Mwea East, Kirinyaga County, after a 19-year-old girl died by suicide an hour after calling her father and elder sister and urging them to return home.

According to Regina Ng'endo, her younger sister Rachael Mwihaki called her to inform her that their mother, Elizabeth Wakuthii, wanted to take her own life for unknown reasons, hence she wanted her to return home fast.

“She called me telling me to come as quickly as possible as my mother wanted to commit suicide, and I told her that I had no fare, which she sent, but unfortunately I found her dangling from the bedroom ceiling,” Ng'endo narrated.

A shocked Ng'endo revealed that her deceased sister had also called their father, Peter Mwangi, telling him the same thing.

“My father had run away from my mother for five days and when he came back after my sister's phone call, he found her body hanging,” she said.

Red Soil village in-charge Stephen Kimani said he called officers from Wang'uru Police Station who arrived immediately after villagers raised alarm.

The family of the deceased said she had joined a local college in Ngurubani town after completing her Form 4 education.

The Counselling and Psychological Association Kirinyaga branch, led by Chairman Kamau Muchira, expressed concerns over the rise in suicides in the region.

Muchira said suicide needs to be addressed to prevent further harm from being done to the community, noting; “It is very sad the incident happened in May, which is the mental health awareness month.”

The body of the deceased has since been taken to the Kibugi funeral home as investigations begin.