19-year-old girl found dead at boyfriend’s house after birthday celebrations

Detectives at Nairobi’s Lang’ata Police Station are investigating the circumstances under which a 19-year-old Form Four leaver died mysteriously while celebrating her birthday at her boyfriend’s house.

Police say they were called to a house in Mbagathi where the death was reported to have occurred, and there was little evidence to ascertain the cause.

Investigators say they are relying on toxicology tests to determine the cause of her death.

The Form Four leaver is said to have left her parents’ home to celebrate her birthday with friends. In a group of five, they proceeded to a popular joint along Lang’ata Road, where the celebration began.

When the group later dispersed, Faith proceeded to her boyfriend’s house with one of her female friends. A few minutes past midnight, the friend left, leaving Faith and her boyfriend alone in the house.

"Sisi tulikuwa tu hapo tukienjoy na kuhave fun, then ikafika usiku huyo Mark akasema anaenda kulala, sisi tulale kwa kiti. Kidogo tu mamangu akanikujia nikatoka…" an unnamed friend said.

The next day, the friend could not reach Faith on the phone. At around 5p.m., she received a strange phone call from the boyfriend who had accommodated them. He told her that Faith had died.

"Sasa yeye alienda kazi akarudi 5pm, nikakutana naye kwa stairs, akaniuliza kama niko na key, nyumba ilikuwa imefungwa. Suddenly akapata spare key na akaifungua. Kufungua akaniita ati Faith ako kwa bed amekufa. Nilienda nikamshika, alikuwa amekufa," a witness explained.

The discovery left everyone perplexed and confused. It hit Faith's father hard—he collapsed.

"Vile nilifika, nilipata watu wamejaa, nilichanganyikiwa sana kusikia hivyo. Nilizirai, tulikuja hadi Mbagathi, tukapata mwili tayari ulikuwa hapa kwa meza,” Faith's father Momanyi Atisa lamented.

Momanyi says he had done everything in his power to ensure his firstborn child secured her future through education. After scoring a B grade, Faith was expected to join university this year.

"Alikuwa anajiandaa kusonga mbele, alikuwa tegemeo langu. Sasa nimekuwa niking’ang’ana naye asome lakini ametuacha hivyo tu,” he added.

An autopsy conducted on her body confirmed that Faith died due to a lack of air and that there was a significant amount of water in her lungs.

Investigators took more samples to the government chemist for toxicology tests before determining the next course of action. Her boyfriend remains in police custody.