A family in Elementaita, Gilgil County is in mourning following the tragic suicide of a teenage girl after a fight over a television remote.
Reports indicate that the deceased fought with a cousin when they were watching television. A witness, identified as Ibrahim Wainaina, said the girls were watching soap operas when one changed the channel.
A fight ensued before the deceased committed suicide in another room.
“This angered the deceased and a fight ensued before she ran out of the house and committed suicide by hanging herself in another room,” said Wainanina.
Confirming the incident, Gilgil OCPD Emmanuel Opuru said police have launched investigations.
“We had an incident where a 13-year-old girl committed suicide after fighting with her cousin over a remote and the body is in Gilgil sub-county hospital mortuary,” he said.
This comes as Kenya’s suicide rate hits a ten-year high. According to official data, the number of suicides reported in Kenya rose by 58 percent between 2008 and 2017 to reach 421.
The report also shows that more men are likely to commit suicide than women. Out of the 421 suicide cases in 2017, 330 involved men.
The World Population Review ranks Kenya at position 114 among 175 countries with the highest suicide rate.
