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A 48-year-old Kenyan caregiver, Irene Wanjiru Mbugua, was tragically killed by a male patient under her care in the UK.
Mbugua was found dead at a residence on Markby Road in Winson Green, Birmingham, at around 1 a.m. on Monday, June 23, 2025.
Originally from Mataara in Gatundu North, Kiambu County, Mbugua had been working in the UK for two years through a caregiving agency. A mother of four, she was known as a dedicated parent and a committed professional. Her death has sent shockwaves through her family and the wider African caregiving community.
Speaking to journalists, her brother, Gilbert Mbugua, revealed that Irene was attacked by a mentally ill patient she had been caring for.
“Police said she had been struck on the head with a blunt object, and a postmortem report confirmed that she died from blunt force trauma,” he said.
He also noted that the tragedy occurred shortly after her youngest children, twin sons, had arrived in the UK from Kenya. “They had only arrived a week earlier. She was excited to reunite with them at her home in Nottingham, where her eldest son also lives,” he added.
Her absence was first noticed when she failed to submit her mandatory daily work report. After repeated attempts to contact her went unanswered, both her family and employer alerted the authorities. West Midlands Police discovered her body in the home where she was on a three-week residential caregiving shift.
A man in his thirties has been arrested and remains in custody on suspicion of murder. Police have confirmed that they are not looking for any other suspects in connection with the incident.
