Nairobi News

NewsWhat's Hot

Parents of baby with needles in body arrested

By MARY WAMBUI December 4th, 2017 2 min read

Police in Thika are holding the parents of the 10-month-old baby who was admitted at Thika Level Five hospital last month bearing 14 needles on her backside.

Officers arrested the two Monday at the hospital and booked the child and her three siblings at Macheo Children’s Home where they shall stay until police conclude investigations into how the needles found their way into the child’s bottoms.

Thika children’s officer Rebecca Kariuki said they suspect the mother could be holding vital information that could reveal what happened.

“The mother is the only one who can give information but she is not willing to open up. We shall book the child into a protection home to allow police conduct investigations,” said Ms Kariuki.

Ms Kariuki also confirmed that the child’s other three siblings aged 17, 12 and six had been rescued from their parents home in Kiganjo and shall be staying at the same children’s home with their 10-month-old sister as police question their parents.

OPERATION

According to Thika level five medical superintendent Dr Joseph Wanjohi, the 10-month-old child was admitted at the hospital about 10 days ago bearing symptoms of diarrhoea and vomiting.

It was during her stay at the hospital that the discovery of her bearing needles in her body was made.

An x-ray confirmed that 14 sewing needles had been lodged in the child’s backside and an operation to remove them conducted.

However, the 14th needle is still lodged in the flesh of her bottoms as removing it risks harming her nerves and blood vessels.

An x-ray showing 14 needles mysteriously lodged in a baby's buttocks. Doctors at the Thika Level Five Hospital have so far removed 13 needles. PHOTO | MARY WAMBUI
An x-ray showing 14 needles mysteriously lodged in a baby’s buttocks. Doctors at the Thika Level Five Hospital have so far removed 13 needles. PHOTO | MARY WAMBUI

“There’s no point in removing it. It cannot harm her. We shall, however, continue monitoring her from the home,” said Dr Wanjohi.

The needles removed from the child’s body were rusty a probable indicator, according to doctors, that they had been lodged in the body for sometime.

The child’s mother Jacinta Ndung’e insisted that she was innocent and has been taking care of the child alone at her Kiganjo home. She, however, could not explain how the needles found their way into her child’s body.

RELATED STORY:

Baby with needles in her body puzzles doctors

“I am innocent. The child is mine, can I do that to my own child? Did I just pick on this one to hate and not either of the other siblings? It’s not fair that they want to arrest me but let them go ahead,” lamented Ms Ndung’e moments before she was arrested.

Her husband Mr Isaac Gichura said he always left his daughter with her mother while leaving for work every morning.

“I was shocked to learn of the needles in her body and wondered how they got inside. Our extended family in also in shock. What evil thing is this?,” wondered Mr Gichura.

He, however, was against the arrest of his wife.

“I pray that she be released because she is innocent,” he told journalists.

The baby, who is said to be still breastfeeding, will have to survive without his mother for sometime until police conclude investigations.

“A child’s safety comes first. She shall be kept in a safe home even if she is still breastfeeding. She shall only be released to the mother once she’s declared innocent,” said Ms Kariuki.