How woman stole her friend’s newborn at Mimosa Hospital in Kasarani, Nairobi
The suspect identified as Catherine Masi had traveled to Nyamira county after allegedly stealing the baby and later to Mombasa where she was nabbed at her hideout in Nyali Sub County on June 6, 2025.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has traced and arrested a woman who allegedly stole her friend’s child two days after the baby girl’s birth at Mimosa Hospital in Kasarani, Nairobi but the child is still missing.
The suspect identified as Catherine Masi had traveled to Nyamira county after allegedly stealing the baby and later to Mombasa where she was nabbed at her hideout in Nyali Sub County on June 6, 2025.
Her accomplice is still at large following the child theft that happened on May 26, 2025.
Masi is currently in custody at the Buruburu Police Station where DCI is conducting investigations and piecing together information to rescue the child stolen from Emily Mosweta.
The DCI is investigating a case of child stealing contrary to section 174 of the Penal Code.
Corporal Erastus Kioko of Buruburu DCI offices told a Makadara court in an affidavit that Masi went to Mimosa Hospital in Kasarani where Mosweta had been discharged after delivery, in company of a female friend who is the missing accomplice.
They later traveled in a public service vehicle (PSV) to Nairobi city centre where they were to connect a PSV to Umoja one, Mosweta’s residential area.
But Masi who was carrying the baby as they boarded the PSV disappeared with the child together with the friend upon arrival in downtown Nairobi.
Mosweta told police that she called Masi’s phone which she found switched off and both women who she left the hospital with had gone with her child.
“The complainant (Mosweta) tried to trace the respondent (Masi) within the surrounding area, but she could not. She left town and went to make a report of her missing child at Umoja One police post, near to her residential house. At the police post, she was referred to Buruburu police station in the Child’s Department where the report was booked in Occurrence Book (OB) for investigations,” states Kioko in the affidavit.
She proceeded to Buruburu police station where she made a similar report vide OB number 18/27/5/2025 and the DCI took over investigations into the matter.
Kioko said investigations established that Masi switched off her mobile phone and could not be traced within Nairobi, information received was that she had travelled to her rural home in Nyamira County.
But on June 6, 2025, intelligence led detectives to Nyali where Masi was traced and arrested.
Kioko was seeking custodial orders to detain Masi for 14 days pending investigations and rescue of the child and the orders were granted by Senior Principal Magistrate Joseph Karaja.
The suspect is required in custody to aid in investigations including tracing her accomplice and leading detectives to her rural home where DCI is hoping to rescue the baby.
DCI also plans to visit the hospital where Mosweta delivered her baby and recover crucial evidential documents and record witness statements.
