Pathologists have revealed that the cause of death for Julia Njoki Wangui, a Laikipia-based girl who allegedly sustained injuries while in police custody in Nanyuki, remains inconclusive.
The autopsy, conducted on Tuesday, July 15, did not reveal any immediate signs of trauma, prompting the team to request an additional two weeks to complete their full analysis.
Speaking during the postmortem, Lead Government Pathologist Dr. Peter Ndegwa said that no direct injuries to the head were observed. However, internal complications were detected in several organs, including the liver, pancreas, and lungs.
“We are not seeing direct injury to the head, therefore we are suspecting the bleeding could be from something else,” said Dr. Ndegwa.
“There are quite some links with other organs… so we are going to look at them in more detail, and then do toxicology to complete the whole thing.”
The autopsy revealed bleeding in the brain, but Dr. Ndegwa clarified that it appeared non-traumatic, requiring further investigation to identify the origin. A craniotomy—a surgical opening of the skull—was performed to access the brain and assess the bleeding more accurately.
Dr. Ndegwa stated that toxicology and histological tests will be critical to determining whether external substances or underlying medical conditions may have contributed to her death.
The pathologist emphasized that the final report is expected within two weeks, which could shed light on the mysterious circumstances surrounding Julia’s passing.
Julia Njoki’s death has drawn national concern, especially since it allegedly occurred after police custody in Nanyuki, Laikipia County. Human rights groups have called for independent investigations into the events leading up to her death.
