The death of 32-year-old Mercy Maina Wachinga has left her family, friends and neighbours in shock after her body was discovered in an advanced state of decomposition inside her eighth-floor apartment in Lavington, Nairobi.
Mercy, who had lived in the two-bedroom apartment for about two years, was reportedly last seen in early August. Neighbours remember her as a kind and generous woman who often interacted warmly with people in the building.
In one of her final acts before her death, Mercy was reportedly seen giving gifts to children around the apartment complex. At the time, nobody imagined that it would be the last time they would see her alive.
Days later, concern began to grow after a cleaner noticed a strong foul smell while working in the building.
The cleaner, who was cleaning from the rooftop towards the lower floors, alerted the property manager, Musa Kombo. Kombo reportedly checked neighbouring apartments and repeatedly tried calling Mercy, but her phone went unanswered.
He later contacted the landlord, but efforts to establish Mercy’s whereabouts were unsuccessful.
Seven days later, the matter was reported to Muthangari Police Station. Police officers eventually broke into the apartment, where they found Mercy lying face-down on her bed.
Her car keys were reportedly found near her body.
Inside the apartment, investigators also found a jiko containing burnt charcoal. This has prompted investigators to examine whether carbon monoxide exposure may have played a role in her death. However, the exact cause of death remains subject to a post-mortem examination.
Her body was taken to City Mortuary, where the examination is expected to provide further answers.
A haunting final message
Perhaps the most heartbreaking discovery was a handwritten note found inside the apartment.
Among the words Mercy left behind was a brief but deeply emotional message:
“Stop judging people.”
Investigators also recovered a longer farewell letter in which Mercy appeared to address members of her family and the people she cared about.
She expressed gratitude to her mother, Grace Nderitu, her sister Princess, her grandparents and other relatives. She urged her loved ones to put aside hatred and disagreements and instead look after one another.
Mercy also remembered her landlord, thanking him for his patience whenever she was unable to pay her rent on time.
In the letter, she reportedly directed that her belongings be given to her mother, whom she said she had always dreamed of building a house for.
She also asked her mother for forgiveness and once again pleaded with those around her not to judge her.
In another deeply personal request, Mercy expressed her wishes concerning her remains, asking to be cremated or have her ashes placed in a river, reflecting her reported love for rivers.
Family left searching for answers
For her mother, the circumstances surrounding Mercy’s death have been particularly difficult to comprehend.
Grace Nderitu said her last conversation with her daughter was in early August. Mercy reportedly sounded calm and normal during the conversation, giving no indication that she was experiencing a severe personal struggle.
Nothing in that final conversation prepared the family for the devastating discovery that would follow weeks later.
As investigators work to establish what happened inside the apartment, Mercy’s loved ones are left mourning a woman they remember for her generosity while trying to make sense of the final message she left behind.
The post-mortem examination is expected to shed more light on the circumstances and exact cause of her death.
