Police arrest mother of baby found with 14 needles in her body

Police on Monday (December 4) arrested the mother of the 10-month-old baby in whose body doctors found and removed 13 sewing needles at Thika Level 5 Hospital.

One needle remained after doctors termed its removal as too risky for the baby.

The woman, Jacinta Ndunge, was arrested together with her husband at the hospital and taken in to record statements as investigations into the bizarre incident begin.

The baby, who was discharged today from the hospital, was rescued by Thika Sub-county Children’s department officers who held a consultative meeting with the hospital administration and taken to Macheo Children’s Home.

According to Thika Sub-county Children’s Officer Rebecca Kariuki, the case was reported to their offices three weeks ago but they opted not to act until the baby was treated.

“The mother is the only one who can give us information if it is child abuse and since she is not ready to talk then we are taking the child. We will also rescue her other two children who are also minors,” said Kariuki, adding that they are suspecting a case of child abuse.

The girl’s mother, however, insists that she does not know how the needles were lodged in her baby’s body and that she only discovered one of them after she was pricked while applying jelly on the baby’s bottoms.

“I even don’t know what happened. Even if you arrest me now there is nothing I know. I just knew of the needles when I was applying jelly on my baby. The father is at home and he is surprised too,” said the 30-year-old mother.

Authorities suspect that the couple might have information on how the needles landed into the baby’s body.