A 23-year old father from Mwingoni village in Voi sub-county has been arrested for allegedly biting the genitals of his 4-months old son under unclear circumstances.
The suspect, Mr. Salim Mwaluma, was arrested on Tuesday afternoon even as family members and neighbors reeled from shock and disbelief over the bizarre incident.
Ms. Agatha Martin, his wife, said her husband had taken their son out for a walk on Saturday evening and returned late. The baby was asleep.
On Sunday morning, the suspect insisted on giving the baby a bath before dressing him which was odd because he rarely did that.
It was while they were in the middle of the church service when the baby started wailing.
The mother had taken the baby outside to calm him down when she saw scratch marks on the tender skin of his neck.
Worried, she quickly undressed him and met the nightmare of the true extent of what lay under the clothes.
“It was a terrible sight. His body had bite marks all over. The neck, back, thighs and even his genitals,” said the teary mother. The genitals were still bleeding at the time.
She took the baby to a local health facility which referred the case to Moi County Referral Hospital for specialized treatment.
Village elders piled pressure on the family to take the baby for medical check-up. A bitter dispute arose later with the father resisting efforts to have the case reported to the police.
“He didn’t want to go, but we put pressure on him,” said Mama Baslita Lunga, an elder.
The baby’s body is discolored by blood-chilling impressions of bite marks. There is a large bite on the back of the head while other bites are on the back, buttocks and the sole of the feet. There is another large bite mark on the baby’s genital.
A family member, who declined to be named, said the suspect was their last born and had never portrayed any unusual behavior.
“He has always been very supportive and loves that baby. He doesn’t even allow us to touch him,” she said.