Police in Kenya have arrested a woman identified as Linet Munala following the alleged killing of her three children in Machakos County.
The bodies of the children — one-year-old twin girls and their four-year-old brother — were discovered on Monday, January 26, 2026, inside a single-room apartment at Neema Plaza, Mlolongo Phase III.
According to police reports, the incident is believed to have occurred on the night of January 25 or in the early hours of January 26. The matter was reported at about 1:00 pm on Monday by the building’s caretaker, who said she was alerted by a disturbing text message allegedly sent by the suspect shortly after she left the house.
Preliminary investigations suggest the children may have been poisoned, with officers recovering a suspected toxic substance from the scene. Authorities believe the substance may have been mixed with food given to the children.
Neighbours told local media that the incident followed a domestic dispute between the suspect and her husband over the weekend, allegedly linked to marital issues.
The caretaker, Rose Anai, said she mobilised other tenants after receiving instructions from a neighbour who had been contacted by the suspect.
“When we got to the house, the door was open. I checked one of the children and immediately realised something was wrong. That was when I contacted the police,” she said.
The suspect was later traced and arrested while allegedly attempting to flee the area. She is currently being held at Mlolongo Police Station as detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) continue their probe.
The bodies of the children have been transferred to the City Mortuary, where post-mortem examinations are expected to determine the exact cause of death. Police say investigations are ongoing.