Police in Rachuonyo South, Homa Bay County, apprehended a 32-year-old woman on Saturday night, accused of murdering her one-day-old infant by drowning it in a pool of water before burying it in a nearby farm.

The arrest followed suspicions from neighbors who noticed the absence of the woman with her child for an extended period during the day.

Concerned, they reported the matter to a village elder, prompting Kamuma Sub-location Assistant Chief Collins Joram to investigate.

It was revealed that the woman gave birth on Thursday, January 11, and tragically, the baby died on Saturday, January 13. The suspect decided to conceal the body by placing it in a box and burying it in a shallow grave covered with earth.

According to Mr Joram, the suspect had a successful delivery at a house belonging to a community health promoter.

“She had a successful delivery within the village and was assisted by a community health promoter. It was a girl,” stated the administrator.

The deceased infant was the woman’s fourth child. The other three children reported seeing their mother placing the newborn in a basin of cold water on Friday, allegedly with the intent to drown her.

Unaware of the tragic events, the children thought their sibling was asleep when they returned home from school later that day.

The suspect then allegedly enlisted the help of her sixth-grade daughter to accompany her to a nearby abandoned farm. There, they reportedly buried the baby in a box after walking at least one kilometre.

Neighbours grew suspicious on Saturday when they didn’t see the woman breastfeeding the baby, leading to inquiries.

The matter was reported to the local administration, prompting Mr Joram to question the children, who disclosed the tragic incident.

Upon police intervention, the woman led officers to the makeshift grave, where the body was exhumed. She was subsequently arrested and detained at the Oyugis police station pending arraignment.

Further investigations revealed that the suspect had divorced her husband about three years ago, and when questioned, the man claimed to not know of the child’s existence.