Two people including a mother of three have died by suicide in Naivasha in separate incidents that left area residents in shock.
The woman in her early 60s took her life by jumping into a borehole within the family’s compound due to what was said to be a family row.
The deaths brought to 11 the number of people who have died by suicide in the town since the year began, with depression blamed for the cases.
In the first incident, the mother drowned in the shallow well in Kihoto estate due to alleged family disputes.
Emotions ran high as members of the public and officers from Naivasha fire brigade department tried in vain to rescue the woman.
A witness, Ann Wambui, said that the woman had in the last couple of days complained of some disputes in the family and threatened to take drastic action.
She said that they were shocked when the woman opened the lid to the borehole and jumped in as neighbours watched in horror.
“The incident occurred in the morning and it took hours before the body was retrieved and taken to the mortuary,” she said.
And in the second incident, a 69-year-old man took his life through the rope in Ihindu centre along the Nairobi-Nakuru highway due to a domestic row.
The man had retreated to the parents’ home a week ago after the row before deciding to take his life in one of the rooms.
A neighbour, Joel Kuria, said that the deceased was depressed before deciding to die by suicide to the shock of area residents.
“We are disturbed by the rise in the number of suicide cases in this area mainly involving middle-aged men,” he said.
Naivasha OCPD Samuel Waweru confirmed both cases, adding that the bodies had since been collected and taken to the local mortuary.
“We had two different incidents where a man and woman committed suicide and we have opened inquest files,” he said.
