Fifteen year old Loise (not her real name) from Mailu village in Tigania West, Meru, writhes in pain at Miathene Level Four hospital bed where she is recuperating from severe burns.
She suffered burns on the stomach, chest, the back and legs after she was doused with boiling-hot water in a bizarre attack by a man known to her.
On the morning of Sunday September 28, 2025, Loise went to the home of the attacker at Kianjai market some four kilometres from her village.
According to a relative, she was used to going to the home for menial jobs and had never imagined she could be attacked on the fateful day.
“On this day, she told us that she was warned against going into the compound but ignored it because she could not expect any harm,” the relative says.
A visit that was intended to be a usual rendezvous for the teenager, turned out to be a tragic encounter that left permanent injuries on her body.
The girl is said to have been tied up immediately she entered the compound scalded with hot water and warned against ever talking about it.
Miathene Hospital Clinical Officer James Kalionchi said the patient was brought in with deep second-degree burns.
“The patient was brought in critical condition due to pain. We have managed the condition and she is recuperating well,” Mr Kalionchi said.
According to the girl’s grandmother Lucy Mwonjiru, her granddaughter came home at around 10 am, naked and crying in great pain.
“On checking her, we established that she had burns on her body. Due to the pain, she removed her trousers and ran naked all the way from Kianjai. We rushed her to hospital on a motorbike and later made a report to Miathene police station,” Ms Mwonjiru said.
She revealed that her granddaughter had gone to meet an acquaintance at Kianjai market when the incident happened.
“According to my granddaughter, when she got into the gated compound, she was tied up with ropes. They then poured boiling-hot water on her. Luckily, she managed to escape and she ran all the way home,” she recounted.
The matter was reported on Sunday, September 28 at Miathene police station, but the police are yet to arrest any suspect two weeks later.
Tigania West Police Commander Simon Ng’ang’a, who spoke to Daily Nation on phone said the matter is under investigation to identify the suspects involved in the heinous act.
He said the police had taken time to record statements from the victim to allow her recover from the trauma of the painful attack.
However, despite the girl having given details of the suspect, the police are yet to succeed in making an arrest.
A neighbor who sought anonymity, said the suspect had threatened the victim warning her not to mention his name.
“We are calling on the police to provide security to the girl because her life is in danger. The suspect has been chest thumping that nothing can happen to him. We call on the police to ensure justice is served,” the neighbor, who is helping the family pursue justice, said.
She said there was a need for urgent intervention as the girl and her family were living in fear of the suspect who was still issuing threats.
