A distressed single mother from Dandora, Nairobi, finds herself in police custody after making a heart-wrenching decision to sell her one-month-old baby for KSh 40,000. Detective Jane Mugo, acting on a tip-off, spearheaded the investigation that unearthed the tragic circumstances surrounding Eunice Awino’s desperate act.
Awino, a mother of three facing insurmountable financial struggles, tearfully explained her dire situation to Detective Mugo. With two other children to care for and the immense responsibilities of a newborn, Awino felt cornered. The abandonment by the baby’s father left her alone to grapple with the overwhelming demands of raising three children, pushing her to a breaking point where the unthinkable became her desperate bid for relief.
In an unexpected twist, Awino crossed paths with Gati Christopher, a Tanzanian woman seeking refuge from abuse in her marital home. Christopher, grappling with the relentless mockery for her childlessness, saw motherhood as an escape from the torment. She approached Awino and bought the newborn, expressing her desperation to experience the joys of motherhood.
Christopher, unaware of proper adoption processes, cited the cultural pressures and the challenges of conceiving in Tanzania as her motivation. She staunchly declared her innocence, asserting that she was willing to swear in the name of God about her lack of knowledge regarding child adoption procedures.
Detective Jane Mugo’s relentless pursuit of truth in a different case led her to the shocking discovery. Samuel Hans Omondi, missing since 2020, allegedly kidnapped at the age of three in Nyamira county, was traced to a family in Tanzania. Investigations revealed that the seven-year-old, who is autistic and incapable of raising alarms, had been sold. The ongoing probe aims to uncover the full extent of the circumstances surrounding Omondi’s alleged kidnapping.
The unfolding narrative sheds light on the harrowing choices some mothers face in the throes of desperation, raising questions about societal support systems and the broader issues that drive individuals to such extremes. The haunting ordeal of Eunice Awino and the innocent child caught in the midst of these circumstances exposes the dark underbelly of societal challenges that demand urgent attention and compassion.
