Teresa Gideon, the mother of Mercy Kanini, the Juja woman who recently gave birth to five babies, has demanded that DNA tests be conducted on the newborns before they are buried.
Gideon made the emotional request at Kenyatta National Hospital on Wednesday, September 16, saying she wanted the paternity of the quintuplets established before the family proceeds with burial arrangements.
The demand came after the family suffered the loss of all five babies. Four of the newborns died within hours of being delivered, while the fifth and last surviving baby died later, leaving the family devastated.
Gideon said she was not ready to proceed with the burial without first getting answers concerning the children’s paternity. Her remarks, which were shared on social media, attracted reactions from Kenyans who had been following the family’s ordeal.
The quintuplets were born to Kanini through normal delivery, an event that initially attracted widespread attention and support. However, the situation quickly turned tragic after the babies developed complications and died one after another.
The grandmother had earlier spoken about the circumstances surrounding the deaths of the first four newborns, as the family and members of the public sought to understand what had happened.
The case had also drawn the attention of comedian and media personality Eric Omondi, who publicly commented on events surrounding the family during the period.
Gideon’s latest statement has now added another sensitive issue to the tragedy, with the family seeking clarity on paternity before laying the five babies to rest.
The loss of the quintuplets has left Mercy Kanini and her family mourning after what had initially been celebrated as an extraordinary birth.The family is yet to announce final burial arrangements for the five newborns.