Kenyan woman allegedly sets house ablaze, kills her two children and commits suicide after husband shares plans to marry second wife

A 30-year-old woman in Homa Bay County, Kenya was found dead in her compound shortly after she allegedly set her house on fire, killing two of her children.

Veronica Akoth reportedly locked her four children inside the house before setting it ablaze, leading to the d3aths of her three-year-old daughter and one-year-old son.

Two others were rescued and are currently receiving treatment in hospital.

According to neighbours, Veronica committed the heinous act at around 9 am after her husband and mother-in-law had left for church on Sunday, May 31, 2026.

Speaking to the press, one of the neighbours who raised the alarm said she tried calling Veronica but received no response after noticing smoke coming from the house

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

She rushed to the scene and discovered that Veronica was already d3ad.

In a panic, the neighbour ran to the house and found it locked from the outside. She hurriedly opened it and two children came out, struggling to catch their breath.

Neighbours noted that the couple had been experiencing marital disputes over the past few weeks and had reportedly disagreed the night before the tragic incident.

“The two who d!ed perished in the fire; they were burnt beyond recognition. The husband and mother-in-law were only informed later when it was already too late. She committed the act because of their marital problems,” said another neighbour.

According to preliminary reports, Veronica allegedly k!lled her children after her husband expressed intentions to marry a second wife, a development that reportedly left her devastated.

Household items were also burnt to ashes, leaving the husband not only grieving but also counting his losses

“She said she was not willing to be in a polygamous marriage, and that is why she did the terrible act,” added another neighbour.

Speaking, Javan Owiti, a resident, shared that the entire community was in shock following the tragic incident.

Owiti called on couples to find amicable ways of solving disputes to avoid similar situations.

“Children are very innocent and it is sad that they suffer the consequences of disputes involving their parents,” he noted.