Mentally ill mother sentenced to three years probation for killing six-month-old baby
The mother, Sarah Anyango, admitted to a charge of manslaughter under a plea deal she negotiated with the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.
The High Court has sentenced a mentally ill woman to three years of probation with mandatory psychiatric treatment after she pleaded guilty to killing her six-month-old son in Kisumu.
High Court Judge Joe Omido convicted Sarah Anyango after she admitted to a charge of manslaughter under a plea deal she negotiated with the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP).
More To Read
- ‘They told them I was dead': A mother’s pain and the mental toll of family separation on children
- Silent struggles: Kenyan men speak out on financial pressure, mental health, and masculinity
- MMU student in girlfriend’s murder case declared unfit to stand trial, court orders re-evaluation
- Uganda sees 25 per cent spike in mental health cases over four years
- Beyond the bullet wound: Soldier’s descent into depression and family’s unfinished grief
- Silent struggles: A mother’s battle to raise emotionally scarred children amid poverty and neglect
Justice Omido agreed to her guilty plea and granted a non-custodial sentence, citing her diagnosed mental illness and ongoing recovery.
In his ruling, Justice Omido emphasised the importance of continued psychiatric care, ordering that Anyango remain under supervision for the duration of her probation as part of her rehabilitation plan.
The court was told that on May 10, last year, at Kanyaranga Village in Seme Sub-County, Anyango, then showing signs of severe mental disturbance, was seen violently assaulting her infant son, Joseph Calvins Omondi, while staying at a relative's home.
Despite efforts by her aunt, Angeline Anyango Muga, and her father, Manesse Onyango, to intervene, Sarah fled into a nearby maize plantation and spent the night outdoors.
The following morning, her aunt found her holding the lifeless body of her child.
Village elder Joseph Owiti and area chief Caleb Oende were called to the scene, after which police took Anyango into custody.
A post-mortem examination performed at Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital revealed the infant had suffered horrific injuries, including multiple bruises, the removal of the left eye, burn-like wounds on the feet, facial swelling and strangulation marks.
The cause of death was confirmed as manual strangulation.
The prosecution acknowledged the seriousness of the crime but urged the court to consider the accused's mental health status and the progress she had made through treatment.
The defence lawyer agreed with the prosecution by stating that Anyango was not of sound mind at the time of the incident and had since received care at Mathari National Teaching and Referral Hospital, where she showed notable improvement.
Top Stories Today
