Police in Muhoroni Sub-County have launched investigations following the discovery of the decomposing body of a 56-year-old woman who had been missing for over a week.
According to authorities, the body of the woman, identified as Carena Oluch, was retrieved from Oseng’Teti River in the Chemelil area, Kisumu County, on Friday afternoon after being spotted by passers-by.
Witnesses who were crossing a footbridge near the river noticed a foul smell before sighting what appeared to be human remains floating downstream. They immediately alerted the area assistant chief, who in turn informed the police.
Detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) Chemelil swiftly arrived at the scene accompanied by officers from the Muhoroni Police Station. Upon retrieval, they confirmed that the body was in an advanced state of decomposition, suggesting it had been in the water for several days.
Police said the deceased, who was well known in the area, had been reported missing on October 17. Family members had earlier filed a missing person report after she failed to return home that evening.
According to the family, Ms. Oluch had been battling mental health challenges and occasionally wandered away from home. Efforts to locate her had proven futile despite community search operations in the surrounding villages and farmlands.
Her brother, who spoke to Mulembe Times at the Othoo Funeral Home, expressed deep grief but also relief that the family had finally found closure.
“We had been searching for her since last week. Though we are heartbroken, at least we now know what happened to her,” he said.
Police sources indicated that while initial assessments point to drowning, they have not ruled out the possibility of foul play. DCI detectives have launched a full investigation to establish whether the woman accidentally fell into the river or if she was a victim of criminal activity.
An officer involved in the investigation, who requested anonymity, said samples would be taken for forensic examination, and a postmortem will be conducted to determine the exact cause of death.
“We are waiting for the autopsy results before making any conclusions. For now, the body has been moved to the Othoo Funeral Home,” the officer said.
Residents of Chemelil have since called on local authorities to fence off sections of the river, which they say has become a danger zone, especially for people crossing at night or during floods.
Community elders and local leaders have also urged the government to strengthen mental health awareness and intervention programs, citing a rise in similar cases of disappearance among persons with psychological challenges in the region.
The case adds to a growing list of incidents where missing persons are later found deceased in rivers or isolated areas within Kisumu County.
As investigations continue, police have urged residents to remain vigilant and to report missing relatives promptly to aid in early tracing efforts.
The late Carena Oluch’s body remains at the Othoo Funeral Home pending postmortem and burial arrangements.
