The body of a 29-year-old woman who drowned after reportedly jumping into river Nyamindi with her baby strapped on her back has been found.

According to residents of Kabiroini village in Gichugu, Kirinyaga, the body of Morren Wangui was found some 10 kilometres downstream.

“The body was discovered by residents who were out harvesting grass on the riverbanks,” said Wangui's uncle Stephen Kinyua.

Stephen said that they were called to the scene to identify the body.

“The people who found the body said that they had heard news on Inooro FM, about a woman who had drowned with her child, and so they decided to inform the authorities, as well as pass the message to us family members,” said Stephen.

According to the family, the body of the child, said to be aged five-year-old, was retreated on Saturday night from the river.

The family and residents had been camping at the river as they continued with the search.

A third body of an unidentified man was also discovered by the search party as they combed the river in search of Wangui’s body and that of her little daughter.

Gichugu sub-county police commander Johnson Wachira confirmed the incident, noting that the deceased had been seen by a coffee factory watchman throwing herself into the river together with her child.

The body was taken to Kibugi funeral home Kutus, where that of her five-year-old daughter was also taken.

The third body of an unknown man was taken to Kerugoya mortuary awaiting identification.