Police in Kitui have launched a manhunt for a teenage girl in connection with the murder of a 5-year-old boy.

Benjamin Mwaka, a family member who spoke to Citizen, said the girl and the boy went to fetch firewood in a nearby bush on February 12 but the 13-year-old girl returned home alone in the evening claiming to have used a shorter route.

The boy’s mother then reported him missing at Syongila Police Post prompting a search that led to the discovery of his body in a thicket near Mutendea River at Kaveta sub-location. His eyes were gouged out.

A Postmortem is set to be conducted today, Thursday, Feb 20 at the Kitui Level 4 Hospital morgue.

DCI detectives in Kitui established that the girl disappeared from home Wednesday night and her whereabouts are yet to be established.