A woman who beheaded her one-year-old son for declining to breastfeed was on Monday arraigned before a Ndhiwa court but did not take a plea after the police requested for seven more days to conclude investigations.

The accused Night Akoth Otieno allegedly killed her son identified as Briton Ochieng at Ng'ope village, North Kabuoch Location in Ndhiwa Sub-county on Saturday night.

Ndhiwa Principal Magistrate Mary Ochieng’ directed police to take the 23-year-old woman for a mental checkup at Homa Bay County Teaching and Referral Hospital to ascertain her sanity before she takes plea.

“The investigative officer is granted seven days to continue holding the suspect. She will also undergo a mental test,” the Magistrate directed before Akoth was returned to her cell at Ndhiwa Police Station.

Nhiwa Sub-county Police Commander Robert Aboki said the suspect is accused of murder and has to be under tight security in custody.

Residents of Ndhiwa thronged the court to follow the proceedings. An infuriated Akoth is said to have slit the throat of the son with a sharp panga after the boy declined to breastfeed on the night of the incident.

KNA by Davis Langat