Mentally Ill Mother Jailed Indefinitely

A mother who went berserk and attempted to kill her two children was yesterday imprisoned indefinitely by an Embu Court.

Lilycate Gaturi Nyagah was sent to the Embu G K Prison where she will remain at the pleasure of the President. Principal magistrate Lucy Mutai said the suspect committed a very serious crime by permanently maiming her children.

She said Lilycate was found to have been mentally ill at the time of the incident, was treated at Mathari Mental Hospital and got well, and is still on medication.

The magistrate said in spite the of her mental health improvement, probation officers recommended that she be given a custodial sentence as they feared she might repeat the offence. She said she supported the proposal and because the suspect was a first offender, she committed her to the Embu prison.

Lilycate was charged that on July 23 2008 at Njukiri Village, Gatunduri South Location in Embu County she unlawfully assaulted her 10-year-old daughter and her three-year-old son. She was said to have woken up at dawn, and without provocation started slashing the children with a panga. She cut her son more than five times on the head and amputated three of his fingers.

Lilycate cut her daughter several times on her neck and back before their grandmother whom they lived with screamed for help when she was woken up by the childrens’ cries.

Neighbours and family members rescued the children and and took them to hospital. They took Lilycate to the police station. The children remained in the hospital for some period receiving treatment before they were later discharged.

The suspect was allegedly married before she separated with her husband after their relationship went sour before she went to stay with her parents.

Source: NAIROBISTAR.COM