- The woman identified as Maureen Akinyi, had also threatened to kill her boys aged 10, six and one years before.
- The woman left behind a four page-documents narrating her troubled marriage before poisoning the minors and later taking her life.
Image: THE STAR
The 32-year-old woman who killed her three children before taking her life in Gilgil had in the past tried to commit suicide over domestic rows.
The woman identified as Maureen Akinyi, had also threatened to kill her boys aged 10, six and one years before.
This came as it emerged that the minors were killed through poisoning on Tuesday last week before their decomposing bodies were discovered on Friday evening.
During the incident in Teachers B estate, the woman left behind a four page-documents narrating her troubled marriage before poisoning the minors and later taking her life.
The three bloating bodies of the minors were found lying on the bed while the body of the mother was hanging in the corridor.
Gilgil MP Martha Wangari who visited the area termed the scene as very disturbing, noting that the woman had planned about the murder for some time.
She said the deceased left behind a suicide note in which she blamed the husband for her woes and that of her children.
“It’s painful that the woman had to kill the three children before taking her life due to domestic feuds that could have been solved if she spoke-out,” she said.
Nominated MCA Rose Njoroge said the woman had in the past threatened to take her life and that of the minors due to domestic rows.
“This is one of the darkest days for Gilgil residents as a woman has decided to kill her three children and take her life instead of getting counselling,” she said.
Gilgil OCPD John Ondit said police were called to the scene by neighbours.
"It looks like the woman used poison to kill the minors before taking her life using a rope," the police boss said.
He said the deceased's husband was a KDF officer who was currently serving the country in Somalia.
"It's not clear what motivated the woman to commit this act but we have collected the bodies and taken them to the Gilgil sub-county hospital mortuary," he said.
A neighbour Stephen Gitau told how they were attracted to the house by a foul smell and when police broke into the house, they found the bodies.
He termed the incident as unfortunate, adding that the woman had accused the husband of neglecting the family leading to the incident.
“At times it’s better to speak out and share with neighbours what is disturbing you instead of taking such a bad decision,” he said.
Last year, a woman killed her three children in Naivasha in what she claimed to be directives from powerful forces sent by her estranged husband.