Kenyan Woman and Her Daughter Found Dead Inside Their Van in Finland
Police in Finland have launched a probe into the mysterious deaths of a Kenyan woman and her daughter.
Catherine Anyango and her daughter Michelle were found dead inside their van in the main parking lot of the resort town of Tahko on February 9th, Nation reports.
Local media reported that Catherine, 43, and Michelle had gone to work in Nilsi where they had a food stand but did not return home.
The deceased’s relatives reported the two missing to local police on February 8th after trying to reach them via phone without success.
The following day, police found the lifeless bodies of the two inside their car in Tahko. Local police said the matter is under investigation although there might not have been foul play.
The two are suspected to have died of carbon monoxide poisoning after retiring to their van in the below-freezing temperatures. The family said the two had been missing for seven days.
“The deceased, Catherine and Michelle, were last seen alive at 04.00 of Saturday morning doing their daily selling of food in their truck. Apparently, after closing the business, it’s suspected that they decided to take a nap in the truck based on the position they were found in, sleeping side by side,” reads a WhatsApp message in part.
“After the autopsy, it’s been discovered that the cause of death is inhaling carbon monoxide in their sleep, leading to lack of oxygen. So, it’s possible that they used charcoal to cook or something that produces carbon monoxide because the truck had carbon monoxide. The police have allowed for funeral arrangements and collection of the bodies ASAP.”
Catherine and Michelle were running a food cart company and specialized in ‘ethnic’ food such as samosas and moved from town to town, selling unique cuisine.
Comments (11)
The troubles that our hungry, huddled Kenyan masses yearning to live free from abject poverty go through is heartbreaking. I wonder whether politicians read such reports and if they do, what do they really feel?
So sad; so Very sad.😪
Diaspora isn't a bed of roses. Those in leadership better do right and creat jobs for.masses..
This is quite unfortunate! They shouldn't have lost their lives if proper measures were taken. I am not sure about Finland but in US, food trucks are required to be equipped with smoke and carbon monoxide detectors just like homes. A decent carbon monoxide detector goes for roughly 20 dollars only and this simple device could have saved their lives. My coundolescense to their families.
It feels HORRIBLE HORRIBLE coz I had met these two six years ago and took numerous photoes with them at the market place where they sold samosa etc. I regonised their familiar Kenyan flag decorated mobile kiosk they erect at market places. It is winter in the place they died, Latitude 67 degrees North. Outdoor temperature say -20 Celsius around this time of the year. The location was a VERY famous winter down slope skiing resort.
Any moisture from any food they warm inside the kiosk quickly freezes on contact with the outside walls sealing any air circulation with the outside with ice. They literally slept inside a vacuum.
The unseen silent killer carbon monoxide poisoning!
@ SimamaImara
You are right. There are many Kenyans struggling in silence in diaspora. It’s very unfortunate that our Kenyan Mission abroad employees have forgotten or ignored to do their basic minimum duties like answering a phone call. If in doubt, please, make a phone call to the Kenyan Embassy in Washington, D.C.
@Imara mpya Daima
I have never had any issues calling the Kenya Embassy in DC.
Calling isn't the problem. Getting someone to pick up or return your call is the issue. As for competence, I applied for an ID back in June 2017. I recently (Sept 2022) got an email confirming they finally had my ID. Miaka tano ilipita!!! BTW I went to Kenya at the end of December 2017 for a two week vacation. In a 7 day time period in early January 2018, I got my ID and also applied for and picked up the light blue passport which I had been unable to procure from the embassy in 6 months with an in person appearance and an overnight stay in DC. It's not that they can't, they just won't.
@mkenya1234:
Naomba utangaze namba ya simu unayopiga na kupokelewa mara moja na wafanyi kazi wa ofisi ya ubalozi wa Kenya USA.
It’s a useless incompetent embassy, don’t pick up or return calls, email inquiries or nothing! They are probably double dipping by getting paid for doing nothing except running brothels in Washington DC! Bure kabisa