Police in Kutus have rescued a 14-month-old toddler who was reported missing on January 23, 2025.
Acting on intelligence, officers from the Kutus police station managed to rescue the girl and returned her to the safe custody of her mother.
The safe rescue of the child marked the end of a troubling ordeal the mother had undergone for the days since her daughter went missing.
"She explained that she had left her child in the care of a relative while she briefly stepped into a barbershop for a haircut. Upon her return, she was devastated to discover that both the relative and the child had vanished without a trace," the DCI said in a statement on Tuesday.
Following the report, detectives promptly embarked on a search mission and, through forensic trails, managed to locate and arrest the relative from her hideout in the Piai area of Kirinyaga county.
The DCI said the child was safely rescued and has since been reunited with her family.
"Meanwhile, as investigations continue, the child has been joyfully reunited with her family, bringing an end to their distressing ordeal and restoring peace to their hearts," the DCI said.
Child stealing is a criminal offence under CAP 63 of the penal code.
Section 174 of the law states that any person who, with intent to deprive any parent, guardian or other person who has the lawful care or charge of a child under the age of 14 years of the possession of the child—forcibly or fraudulently takes or entices away or detains the child; or receives or harbours the child, knowing it to have been so taken or enticed away or detained, is guilty of a felony and is liable to imprisonment for seven years.
It is, however, a reasonable defence before court if an individual found in possession of a stolen child proves to court that they took custody of the minor for their own good.
"It is a defence to a charge of any of the offences defined in this section to prove that the accused person claimed in good faith a right to the possession of the child, or, in the case of an illegitimate child, is its mother or claimed to be its father," the state.
