- The mother of three, according to sources at the hospital, ended her own life inside an isolation room where she had been locked.
- The husband questioned where the doctors and nurses in night shifts were when the alleged suicide took place.
Image: HANDOUT
Police in Machakos are investigating an incident where a woman allegedly ended own life by suicide at a public hospital.
Lynet Kemunto, 31, is said to have committed suicide at Machakos Level 5 Hospital, where she had been admitted for medication on November 14.
The mother of three, according to sources at the hospital, ended her own life inside an isolation room where she had been locked after reportedly becoming violent to fellow patients at ward nine where she had been admitted.
The deceased’s relatives, however, dismissed the suicide claims, saying that they suspected foul play, hence demanded that police investigate the incident so that they get answers on what caused the death.
Her husband, Stephen Nyabuto, said that the suicide narrative was a cover up from the hospital’s management. He questioned where the doctors and nurses in night shifts were when the alleged suicide took place.
“I had a patient who I brought to this facility, Machakos Level 5 Hospital, after she gave birth. She had just fallen sick after a successful delivery at the hospital prompting me to bring her back for medication,” Nyabuto said.
Nyabuto addressed reporters at the facility on Saturday.
“My wife was responding well to medication on the first and second days, but on the third day I was called by a friend at around 9am that she had committed suicide at the hospital,” he said.
He said when he enquired from the hospital on what happened leading to the wife’s death, he was told that at around 2am, Monday, she was moved to an isolation room after turning violent to other patients in the ward.
“She was locked inside the room and then on checking at around 5am, they said she was okay. Then claimed that at 6am same day, Monday, they went to check again on her and found that she had hanged herself using a cloth," Nyabuto said.
He questioned why he was called at 9am when the incident occurred at 6am.
Nyabuto said he was denied access to the scene where his wife had allegedly ended her own life until police officers arrived, secured and processed it.
“They gave me a burial permit and took the body to the hospital’s mortuary. I think there is something that the hospital is hiding concerning the death,” he added.
Nyabuto said there were no indications that his wife might have committed suicide. He recorded his statements at Machakos police station, requesting for a probe into the incident.
He said the wife could have been sedated to sleep if indeed she was violent instead of being locked inside the room said to be for isolation.
“The doctors who were at the hospital that night should be responsible because they don’t allow anybody to get in the wards. So, if they were there the whole night, what was their work to an extent that the patient committed suicide in their presence,” Nyabuto said.
“I want to know what really happened. My plea is that the death should be investigated to find out if she indeed committed suicide. We want to know the truth.”
Nyabuto said the wife left him with three young children, including a one-and-half-week-old toddler who was at the facilities nursery under incubation.
Machakos criminal investigations officer Fredrick Ikaal said investigations were ongoing to ascertain what really happened.
(edited by Amol Awuor)