Mathira West police have recovered the body of nine-year-old Shantel Waruguru Kagema from a pit latrine in Kianjathi village, days after she disappeared under tragic circumstances.
Shantel went missing on the morning of February 8, 2026, when her parents left for the day, leaving her at home with her four-year-old sister.
Upon their return at around 6:30 pm, the family discovered Shantel was nowhere to be found and immediately alerted authorities.
Law enforcement officers launched a thorough search, uncovering Shantel’s shoes and undergarments on an old blue mattress in an abandoned house nearby.
Crime Scene Investigations officers processed the scene, collecting the items as exhibits, which were later confirmed by Shantel’s mother as belonging to her daughter.
Police intelligence soon identified Peter Njuguna, a neighbour, as a prime suspect. Upon his arrest, Njuguna led detectives to the pit latrine where he had disposed of Shantel’s body.
Members of the public assisted in retrieving the girl’s body, which was taken to a mortuary for preservation and autopsy.
Preliminary investigations indicate that Njuguna lured Shantel’s younger sister out of the house with money to buy sweets, leaving him alone with Shantel.
He then committed a heinous act against the child before disposing of her body.
Today, Njuguna was presented in court, where detectives secured a 21-day custodial order to allow for a comprehensive investigation.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) condemned the act, describing it as an assault not only on Shantel’s family but also on the community’s conscience.
The agency reaffirmed its commitment to protecting children and warned that anyone found committing such crimes will face the full force of the law.