Shock has gripped residents of Majengo estate in Kitui Town after the body of a minor who had been reported missing was discovered floating in a septic tank in what police suspect to be a brutal murder.

The victim, a one-year-eight-month-old boy, was left at home by his mother as she went to buy medicine for her sick husband. On returning, she found the child missing.

The stepfather, however, claimed he had also left the house to fetch charcoal from a nearby shop, leaving the boy alone. But neighbors disputed his account, saying they had not seen him leave the compound.

A frantic search within the compound led to the grim discovery—the child’s body floating inside a septic tank that was normally covered with a manhole.

Police suspect the boy was strangled before being dumped into the tank by the stepfather, who then sealed it. The man has since been arrested as the prime suspect and is being held as investigations continue.

The motive behind the heinous act is yet to be established. The child’s body has been transferred to the mortuary for a post-mortem examination.

Authorities have condemned the killing, noting that the disturbing case adds to a worrying trend of domestic-related murders involving minors.