A form four student was on Thursday found murdered and her body dumped in Kipipiri Forest, Nyandarua county.
The 18-year-old, who went missing on Tuesday, was reportedly raped before she was killed by an unknown gang.
She was found with a rope tied around her neck at the forest situated in Karuri village, Lereshwa location.
The student was taking care of her grandmother's cattle when one of the cows strayed into the forest. She went after it never to return.
Her grandmother said some two children, who accompanied the teenager, reported that she went to look for the cow which strayed into the forest.
"We looked for her everywhere, including at her friends and classmate’s homes, but without success," the distraught granny said.
Benson Ngigi, who was among the search party, said they found the girl lying with her face to the ground.
"We called her, thinking she was asleep but she did not answer. On a closer look, we discovered a rope around her neck and thought she had committed suicide."
He said they noticed her head had been crashed and also found a knife near her body.
"He underpants and gumboots were some meters from the body. It was clear she was raped before she was killed," he said.
A 15-year-old juvenile delinquent was arrested on Thursday in connection with the crime and is locked at Kipipiri police station.
Simon Wanjiru, in his statement to the police, confessed to the killing but refused to disclose if other people were involved.
Locals blamed the incident on an uncontrolled use of drugs in the area as well as the lack of a police station in the area.
The girl's teacher described her as "Good, ambitious and much disciplined."
Chief John Nyaga said the community is to blame for harbouring criminals among them without informing law enforcement authorities.