Detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) are holding a woman accused of abducting her friend’s two-day-old baby and going into hiding across three counties.
The suspect, Catherine Kerubo, was arrested in Nyali, Mombasa County, after allegedly fleeing with the newborn from Nairobi on May 26.
Kerubo is currently in custody at Buruburu Police Station as authorities intensify investigations to locate the missing infant, who belongs to her friend, Emily Mosweta.
According to an affidavit filed by Corporal Erastus Kioko of the Buruburu DCI office, the suspect visited Mosweta at Mimosa Hospital in Kasarani shortly after she had been discharged with her newborn.
Kerubo was accompanied by another unidentified woman during the visit.
The three boarded a public matatu heading toward Nairobi’s Central Business District to connect to Umoja, where Mosweta resides.
However, upon arrival at the Tea Room stage, Kerubo allegedly vanished with the baby, leaving the mother in shock. Attempts by Mosweta to reach Kerubo and the other woman by phone were unsuccessful as both phones had been switched off.
A report was initially filed at Umoja Police Post before being escalated to Buruburu Police Station, where the DCI took over the case.
Investigations revealed that Kerubo had switched off her phone and left Nairobi. Intelligence reports later traced her movements through Nyamira County and ultimately to Nyali, Mombasa, where she was arrested on June 6.
Corporal Kioko told the Makadara Law Courts that Kerubo is being investigated for child stealing under Section 174 of the Penal Code.
He requested 14 days of custodial detention to allow detectives to trace the missing child, locate the second woman involved, record witness statements, and gather evidence from the hospital where the child was born.
The court, presided over by Senior Principal Magistrate Joseph Karanja, granted the request, allowing investigators more time to pursue crucial leads.
The whereabouts of the baby girl remain unknown as the DCI continues the search, including planned visits to Kerubo’s rural home in Nyamira and further analysis of the suspect’s travel history.
