A child who went missing in January was discovered to have been buried, with the father being the prime suspect.

According to a police report, Linda Chepkorir, aged 2 years and 10 months, was reported missing by her mother, Diana Cheptum on January 9.

However, it was later discovered that the girl had been killed and buried.

The police report stated that investigations revealed that the child’s father, Paul Rop, was behind his daughter’s death.

He is alleged to have dug a shallow grave and buried the girl at his compound in Olorogai village.

The body was exhumed on Thursday at the location, about 13km from Menengai police station.

Menengai: Father prime suspect in murder of daughter, 2, who went missing and found buried in shallow grave

Rop is said to have separated from Cheptum, who had been his girlfriend.

The police report stated that Rop requested to have the child stay with him for a few days, after which he executed his plan and killed her.

Rop is said to have lied that the child had travelled to Nairobi with his uncle and was kidnapped while there.

Present during the exhumation were Dr Titus Ngulungu, a government pathologist, several senior police officers, Rop and his relatives, Cheptum and several villagers. The girl’s body was moved to Kwajack hospital mortuary pending postmortem.

The suspect is being held at Menengai police station and will be charged with murder.