A Kirinyaga family has been thrown in grief after their eight-year-old boy committed suicide over marking pencils.
The deceased, Benedict Wachira, hanged himself on a electric pole after his elder sister refused to allow him to use marking pencils aan their Kiangwenyi village home in Gichugu constituency on Tuesday.
According to Ms Jerusha Wanjiku, she learnt of the demise of her son with great shock.
“At first I could not believe when I was informed that my son was no more until I saw his body dangling on a rope,” she said.
Ms Wanjiku narrated how she bought the marking pencils for the boy to use while on holiday but her sister took and locked them in the cupboard without her knowledge.
When the boy asked her sister to handover the pencils, she declined.
This seems to have angered the boy who took the rope and killed himself.
The body of the boy was discovered by his brother who fled in panic and reported the matter to the family.
“I was working in the farm when I was informed that my son was dead and rushed to the scene only to find out it was the truth,” said Ms Wanjiku.
The boy’s father Mr Simon Maina was equally terrified by the news.
“Initially I could not be convinced that such a young boy could kill himself,” said Mr Maina.
Police took the body to Kerugoya hospital mortuary.
