Esther Arunga, Quincy Timberlake probed over son's death in Australia

A screen grab from a video on Australia's Channel 7 News shows one of the parents being taken away by police investigators for questioning.  Photo | YouTube

By STELLA CHERONO
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A former Kenyan TV presenter and her husband were questioned by police after their 3-year-old son died at their home in Australia.

During a phone interview on Thursday, Channel 7 News confirmed that Esther Adongo Arunga and Quincy Timberlake were taken into police custody.

 

Kenya's High Commissioner to Australia also told Nation.co.ke: "We have a situation of a family who lost their child and police are investigating."

The parents said he was playing with his brother when he fell down the stairs, Australia's Channel 7 News reported.

They allegedly gave him a painkiller and put him to sleep, but his condition worsened.

A video posted on YouTube shows police cordoning off the couple's home in Kallangur, north of Brisbane on June 18.

Paramedics were called to the scene, but the boy was pronounced dead.

Police conducted forensic examinations and were awaiting the results of a post-mortem to determine the cause of death.

Petroline Arunga, Esther's mother, said she had heard about the death but could not confirm it as she had not been in contact with her daughter.

Two years ago, Esther sued her parents, accusing them of subjecting her to a check-up at a psychiatric institution and keeping her at their house against her will.

She had been in the spotlight after Kenyan police arrested her over controversial activities of the Finger of God church.