Thika sub-county children's officer Rebecca Kariuki has denied claims that her office is not doing anything to help street kids from mentally ill mothers just 2 days after Thika Township Ward MCA Kennedy Mwangi raised concerns about the increasing number of children from mentally ill women in Thika town streets, Thika sub-county.
Speaking from her Thika town office, she said that such cases where an adult is involved are a bit complicated as the children cannot be taken away by the authorities without their mother's consent. She also indicated that it was illegal to separate an underage child from its mother.
In this case, she said that if any kid was to be taken by the government, the mother had to be taken too but after undergoing a mental procedure to ascertain her status.
"It is not that we have neglected those children. We have been trying to work out a way that we can have custody of those kids but under the existing legal provisions," said Kariuki.
The children's officer also noted that in such cases of mentally challenged parents, her office also has to involve the police to ensure that no violence erupts when the child and the mother are being taken away.
"Many mentally ill people are very protective when it comes to their kids. So, whenever they see you near their children they tend to be violent even when you mean good. That is why we have to involve the Police," said Kariuki.