Mother Kills Two Children, Dies by Suicide After Polygamy Dispute

​HOMA BAY, KENYA — A quiet Sunday morning in Homa Bay County descended into horror over the weekend after a 30-year-old woman allegedly locked her four children inside her house, set the building ablaze—killing two of them—before taking her own life.

​The deceased, identified as Veronica Akoth, reportedly committed the act following a severe domestic dispute tied to her husband’s intentions to marry a second wife.

​The tragedy, which occurred at around 9:00 AM on Sunday, May 31, 2026, has left residents of the close-knit community in utter shock and grief.

​A Sunday Morning Nightmare

​According to eyewitnesses and neighbors, Akoth executed the harrowing plan shortly after her husband and mother-in-law departed for a local church service.

​A neighbor, who was among the first to sound the alarm, recalled seeing a thick plume of black smoke billowing from the homestead. Initially assuming Akoth was preparing a meal, she quickly realized the situation was catastrophic.

​”I was standing at my door when I saw smoke coming from Veronica’s house,” the neighbor told reporters. “At first, I thought she was cooking, but then I realized the smoke was too much. I could see her from a distance, and it looked like she was standing facing away.”

​Upon rushing to the compound, the neighbor discovered Akoth’s lifeless body. Panic-stricken, she ran toward the burning house only to find the main door locked firmly from the outside.

​Desperate Rescue

​In a frantic race against time, the neighbor managed to force the door open. Two of the children, choked by dense smoke and struggling to breathe, managed to escape the inferno. They were rushed to a nearby hospital where they are currently undergoing emergency treatment.

​Tragically, rescue efforts came too late for Akoth’s youngest children—a three-year-old daughter and a one-year-old son. The two infants perished in the flames and were burned beyond recognition. The fire also reduced all household property to ashes.

​Devastated by Polygamy Plans

​Community members revealed that the couple had been plagued by severe marital strain over the past few weeks. The tension reportedly reached a boiling point on Saturday night, just hours before the incident.

​According to preliminary reports, Akoth was profoundly devastated after her husband expressed his intention to enter into a polygamous marriage.

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​”She openly stated that she was not willing to be part of a polygamous marriage, and that is what drove her to this terrible act,” a neighbor disclosed, adding that the husband and mother-in-law were only informed of the tragedy after the house had already burned down.

​Community in Mourning

​Javan Owiti, a resident who witnessed the aftermath, expressed the profound grief gripping the village and urged couples to seek counseling or amicable dispute resolution mechanisms when facing marital distress.

​”The entire community is in shock,” Owiti said. “Children are entirely innocent, and it is heartbreaking that they have to suffer such ultimate consequences because of disputes involving their parents.”

​Local authorities have launched a formal investigation into the incident, as the bodies of the deceased were moved to the local mortuary awaiting post-mortem examinations.