On Tuesday last week, Wangui saidshe wouldbe visitingher elderly grandparents atKabiroini in Gichugu. She left in the company of her father.On arrival at Kabiroini,Wangui'sfather showed her a portion of the coffee farmandshe planted trees on her boundary.
A few days later, the worst happened.Wangui committed suicide and murder onthe same day, sending shockwaves across the village.
She grew up as a humble,jovial, bright, and ambitious child at Kabiroini village in Kirinyaga County.
Maureen Wangui,29, a nutritionist byprofessionwas ever smilingandher parents were superproud of her.
However, on May 4, she did the unthinkable, plunging into the raging Nyamindi river waterswith her sickly five-year-old baby girl, Precious Wairimu, strapped to her back.
Body of woman who jumped into river with her baby found Boy, 12, drowns in cattle dip following floodsSaturday'ssad events left family, friends, and villagersreelingin shock.
Later, the bodies of Wangui and her daughter were pulled out of the river by police and taken to the mortuary, leaving the familyin mourning.
The body of the child was the first one to be traced by the police and residents. Three days later,Wangui'sbody was spotted floating inwater,10 kilometres away from where she drowned with her daughter.
Why did she kill herself together with her innocent and ailing child?
Before her death, Wangui went through mentaltorture after she was allegedly jilted by her lover and her baby fell sick. She also constantly complained about the lack of formal employment.
The family vividly recounted how Wangui went through mental suffering despite being brought up in a well-to-do family.
'Shewas brought upvery well, lacking nothing, butshe had her problems which made her life miserable. We tried all we could to help her overcome them, butfinally, she took a direction that left us badly shaken,'said her mother,Irene Micere.
PregnantThe family recounted how Wangui got pregnant in 2019 while pursuing a diploma course in college. Shewas impregnatedby a man who promised to marry her after completing her medical course.
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'When my daughter gave birth, her lover used to visit her regularly and even bought clothes for the baby together with his parents,'said Ms Micere.
Determined to excel in life, Wangui continuedwithher education as her mothertook care ofher baby and completed her course.
Later, shereturned home and continued looking after the baby, butsadly, the childwas struckby Meningitiswhichleft her paralysed.
The baby was regularlyin and out of the hospital, making it hard for Wangui to concentrate on looking for employment.
Thisdisturbed Wanguileadingtodepression, the family says. Her condition worsened when she learnt that her loverhad rejected her.
'When my daughter got information that her lover had married another woman, she became very bitter, shefelt cheated and betrayed. That is when her condition became even worse,'Micere explained.
Sometimesshewould scream andrefuse to eat anything without provocation.
Thisworried the parentswhotook her to Embu Referral Hospital for medical check-ups and counselling.
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But that did not helpmuch, as sherefused to take hermedication.
'She told us that she is not mad and that she would not take drugs prescribed by a psychiatrist,'said Micere.
'Sometimes she would abnormally keep so quiet, refuse to talk to us, and threaten to leave home for a journey of no return,'added Micere.
Later, she started exhibiting suicidal behaviour, forcing her parents to keep a close eye on her.
'At one timeaftersupper, our daughter became violentand wanted to leave home at night together with her baby.Isnatched the baby from her and told her that she would not go anywhere.After my husband talked to her, she cooled downand agreed to stayathome,'said Ms Micere.
