Father Arrested Over Death of 9-Year-Old Daughter in Kibra
According to police, officers accompanied by members of the community policing team swiftly rushed to the scene following the report.
Photo: Courtesy.
By Robert Mutasi
A 47-year-old man is in police custody after allegedly defiling and brutally assaulting his nine-year-old daughter who later succumbed to her injuries in Kibra, Nairobi.
The shocking incident occurred on September 6, 2026, after officers at Kibra Police Station received a distress call reporting that the suspect, identified as Norman Swahili, had seriously assaulted his daughter at their home.
According to police, officers accompanied by members of the community policing team swiftly rushed to the scene following the report. However, upon arrival, they were informed that the suspect had already taken the critically injured child to Mbagathi Hospital in a desperate attempt to seek medical attention.
The officers proceeded to Mbagathi Hospital, only to receive the devastating news that the nine-year-old girl had been pronounced dead on arrival.
Preliminary examination of the child’s body revealed multiple bruises and swellings across her body, as well as a freshly lost upper incisor tooth, grim signs of the violence she had endured before her death.
Further medical examination also indicated that the child had been sexually assaulted.
The deceased’s body was later moved to Nairobi Funeral Home, formerly City Mortuary, where it is being preserved pending a postmortem examination to establish the exact cause of death.
The suspect, Norman Swahili, has since been arrested and remains in police custody at Kibra Police Station as detectives process the case ahead of his expected arraignment in court.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has confirmed the arrest and extended condolences to the family of the minor.
In a statement, the DCI said it stands with the bereaved family in this moment of profound grief and strongly cautioned the public against all forms of violence, defilement and abuse, particularly against children.
“Such acts are a grave violation of the law and a betrayal of the trust and protection every child deserves. The DCI will continue to pursue perpetrators of such heinous crimes, and stern lawful action will be taken against anyone found culpable,” the agency stated.
The incident has sparked outrage among residents of Kibra, with child rights activists calling for swift justice and enhanced protection measures for vulnerable children within households.
Cases of defilement and child assault remain a major concern in Nairobi’s informal settlements, where poverty, congestion and limited access to support services often exacerbate vulnerability.
Police say investigations are ongoing and the suspect will face charges of defilement and murder once the postmortem report is completed and the file is forwarded to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) for approval.
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