Rebecca Cheptegei, an Olympic distance runner, suffered a 75% burn to her body during the ordeal.
According to authorities, a Ugandan athlete who lives in Kenya was burned by her lover and is currently undergoing treatment for 75% of her burn injuries. Distance runner Rebecca Cheptegei, who placed 44th in the 2024 Paris Olympics marathon with a time of two hours, 32 minutes, and 14 seconds, is said to have been attacked in her home in western Trans Nzoia County.
During a fight on Sunday (September 1), Dickson Ndiema, Cheptegei’s lover, bought a can of gasoline, poured it on her, and lit her on fire, according to Trans Nzoia police commander Jeremiah ole Kosiom.
Both Ndiema and herself are undergoing specialized care at the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret City after Ndiema also suffered burn injuries.
Cheptegei’s parents said their daughter purchased land in Trans Nzoia so she could be close to the several sports training facilities in the county.
Before the fire started, the couple was heard fighting over the property where the house was erected, according to a report submitted by the local chief.
Local media sources report that Cheptegei’s condition is critical.
On social media, the Ugandan Athletics Federation (UAF) has addressed the issue.
“We regret to announce that our athlete Rebecca Cheptegei, who competed in the Olympics, has suffered severe injuries and is hospitalized at Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret,” the organization tweeted today (September 3).
People have subsequently offered their support for the Olympian as she heals from the traumatic incident.
“Wishing her a quick recovery,” one person wrote.
A second user expressed similar feelings, writing, “Sad to hear this. Wishing her a swift recovery.”
“There are no words. “Best wishes for her recovery,” said someone else.
A different person wrote, “This is so tragic.” I wish her a swift recovery and hope that she receives justice.
Sadly, Cheptegei’s case is not the first of its kind.
Damaris Muthee, a Kenyan-born Bahraini athlete, was discovered dead in 2022 after a post-mortem investigation revealed she had been strangled, while Agnes Tirop, a two-time World Athletics Championships bronze medalist, was found stabbed to death in 2021.
“You are an irresponsible mother !! You look at the phone, with the child at your feet… ” What was the woman’s explanation?
On the Internet, a photo from an airport showing a mother using the phone while her infant is left on the ground covered in a blanket has caused a lot of criticism. The young mother received a lot of backlash in the virtual space for leaving her infant on the floor, treating it like luggage, and instead choosing to sit on the phone.
When the picture was shared online with a well-known quotation from Albert Einstein, “I fear the day when technology will be more important than interpersonal relationships,” the image went viral. A new generation of fools is going to emerge in the world.
Although she appears to be a deranged mother at first, the reason behind the woman who abandoned her infant on the ground will cause us to reconsider our tendency to judge people based just on their outward appearance.
When the picture that was shot without her consent became viral online and was accompanied by derogatory remarks like “You are a distorted mother!!” The woman made the decision to be honest, saying, “You sit on the phone, the baby at your feet, and you don’t care about him.”
After their flight was canceled, Molly Lensing—a pediatric nurse by trade with two other kids at home—and her two-month-old daughter found themselves stuck at the Colorado airport for over 20 hours.
“After spending too many hours in her stroller, Anastasia was exhausted, and my hands were sore from carrying my bags and cuddling with her.” On a television broadcast, Molly said, “I had to tell all the family members where we were, and he needed a place to lay down.”
The woman added that she noticed her picture floating around the Internet a few months after the bad encounter she had at the Colorado airport. Molly started getting hateful remarks on Facebook after a few internet users recognized her name. While some commented that she was “a terrible mother,” others defended her.
“I felt as though someone had invaded my private. I was worried that my supervisor or one of my coworkers would see the photo and get fired because I work at a pediatric clinic. Fortunately, Molly Lensing stated that this did not occur.
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