Baringo Man Who Threw His Child Into Fire Arrested

A Baringo man who allegedly threw his five-month-old baby into fire over paternal allegations has been arrested.

Baringo North Sub-county Police Commander Fredrick Odinga, confirmed that the missing head teacher, who did the abominable act, was arrested by the elders on Monday and taken to Loruk Police Station.

“The suspect is in our custody at Loruk Police Station after he was brought in by elders. He went into hiding after allegedly throwing his five-month-old baby into the kitchen fire over domestic disputes and will be arraigned to answer to charges of the offense committed,” said Odinga.

His wife, a mother of eight, said that her husband had threatened to kill the baby a week ago since the baby’s ears resembled neither his nor his relatives.

 “I normally sleep in the kitchen with other young children, including the infant. He arrived home at around 9 pm drunk, claiming that the baby’s ears didn’t look like his or his kin’s and accused me of infidelity. I thought it was his usual talk as a result of his habitual drunkenness and I rushed to the sitting room to get a plate to feed him thinking it would quell his ranting,” said the infant’s mother.

“I heard the baby crying and ran back to the kitchen only to find the door closed from inside. Sensing danger, I screamed to alert the neighbours as I pushed the door. When it finally opened, he was holding a machete while the baby was already in the fire crying. I gathered courage and pushed him to the wall as I struggled to pull the child from the fire,” added the heartbroken mother who couldn’t hold down her tears.

The baby in question, according to Dr. Aloe Papa at the Baringo Referral Hospital where the baby is recuperating,  sustained 10-degree burns on the face and knees.

“The infant is currently stable but we are still assessing to see if he will require skin grafting or if it resulted in any complications because the burns extended to the eyes. There is also a history of the child being hit on the thigh by the same person where he sustained a femur fracture,” said Dr. Aloe Papa.

“I have sleepless nights because the baby is crying owing to the injuries. I don’t even know if he will ever see because the eyes were also burnt and part of the nose was also affected. I am appealing the concerned authorities to arrest the culprit for the heinous act inflicted on an innocent child,” pleaded the mother crying.

With the increasing cases of child violence in the area, Baringo North Children’s Officer Irine Chepkwony, vowed to dig deeply into the matter and find justice for the baby.

“The suspect is a primary school headteacher who has been entrusted to take care of hundreds of school children. His integrity should be checked because if he can attempt to kill his child, then how safe are the learners in the school?” questioned Ms. Chepkwony.

She added: “We have taken the statements from the mother and we have filled the case at Loruk Police Station. Reports have emerged that the baby was also assaulted by the same person when he was barely three weeks old and it went unreported. We are following the two cases to ensure that whoever is responsible for the awful acts is charged in a court of law.”

The woman also said that the fierce husband had hit the baby when he was three weeks old and crushed his hip bone.

“We have sired eight children with this man. He never complained when I was expecting this eighth child only to issue threats when the baby was born, disputing his paternity,” she said.