Kilifi couple arrested after their 2 children die in suspected cult

Police in Kilifi have arrested a couple that refused to seek medication for their 2 children, causing their death. The couple, Thuo Kimutu and Wanjiru Babu, who  believe in faith-healing, were arrested today to face charges.
Police reports indicate that 1 of the children died on Saturday, while the second one on Sunday in the hands of a local preacher, where they had gone to seek ‘heavenly’ intervention.
Kilifi North Police boss Kenneth Maina confirmed the incident, saying the deceased were a boy and a girl aged thirteen and eleven respectively. Until their untimely demise, the children were learners at Kilimo Primary School.
”On 17 Sunday, through our informers , we learnt that a child had died because he was not taken to the hospital by the parents. We started investigations and went to a certain place in Kibaoni where we got the parents. After further investigations we realized that another child had died on 16 Saturday,” Maina said.
The police boss said investigations had established that the first child died at the parent’s house in Ukombozi village. The second one died at the preacher’s place where the parents took her for healing prayers.
According to the police, the parents failed to take their children for medical treatment because medicine violates their religious beliefs. The couple believes in divine healing, Jesus shed blood for their healing and that he died on the cross to break the devil’s power.
“The boy was in class 8 and her sister was in class 6. The parents killed 2 of their children; not God, not the church, not religious devotion” he told the media.
So far police have arrested the parents of the deceased, the preacher and 8 other followers of the healing faith based denomination pending investigations. Police are yet to establish the name of the church because the believers don’t not have an exact physical place of worship.
”We are still investigating to know the exact name of the church as they do not have a physical address. On Sundays, they usually meet at one of their member’s house for worship,” said Maina. He said the parents, Kimutu and Babu, attributed the death of their children to ‘God’s will’.
Witnesses told authorities that the deceased began showing symptoms of a common cold four days before they   died, including lethargy and a sore throat.
Their breathing eventually became labored, then rapid, and then died. An autopsy revealed that the children died of Pneumonia and respiratory related illnesses.
”We have done a post  mortem and we have learnt that the kids died of Pneumonia,” said Mr Maina.
In a surprise turn of events, police say they have launched investigations to locate 3 other children of the same family who are currently missing. The 3, police say are aged between 10, 7 and 4 years.
Mr Maina has urged the community to cooperate with the police and report such cases to protect the community. Cases of religious cult have been rampant in Kilifi County.
Apart from the Shakahola incident, police are now investigating a church where women believers are asked to attend services without wearing inner wears and bras to allow the holy spirit ‘speak’ to them freely.
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