Carolyne Odour has described the heartbreaking feelings of fear and despair for her two sons, Daniel and Elijah, who disappeared two months ago alongside their father, a follower of the notorious starvation cult led by Paul Mackenzie. The mother's anguish is compounded by the discovery of her husband's body in a mortuary in Malindi. His corpse was found in July amid an investigation into the Shakahola Forest, where over 400 bodies were uncovered, highlighting one of the most horrific cases of mass deaths linked with cult activities in recent history.
As Carolyne waits for the results of DNA tests on more than 30 recently exhumed bodies, she recalls the painful moment she identified her husband's remains, noting the difficulty due to severe decomposition. "I felt pain. I barely recognized him," she revealed. The cult, which preaches that followers can expedite their path to heaven through starvation, has drawn nationwide attention, especially with Mackenzie’s ongoing trial for manslaughter.
The couple had experienced growing strains in their relationship as her husband became more engulfed in the cult's teachings, particularly shunning formal education and medical help for their children. The alarming disappearance of her husband and sons on June 28 led her to contact authorities, only to discover later that he had taken the family on a long journey to the coastal area associated with the cult.
The investigation into the deaths around Shakahola Forest continues, with shocking revelations about the methods employed by the cult, including strangulation for those who delayed in starving themselves. In response to this tragedy, the Kenyan government plans to introduce stricter regulations for religious organizations to prevent such extremism in the future. Ultimately, Carolyne's wait for her children’s fate remains agonizing as she continues to reflect on the joy they should be experiencing at school and the pain of their absence.
As Carolyne waits for the results of DNA tests on more than 30 recently exhumed bodies, she recalls the painful moment she identified her husband's remains, noting the difficulty due to severe decomposition. "I felt pain. I barely recognized him," she revealed. The cult, which preaches that followers can expedite their path to heaven through starvation, has drawn nationwide attention, especially with Mackenzie’s ongoing trial for manslaughter.
The couple had experienced growing strains in their relationship as her husband became more engulfed in the cult's teachings, particularly shunning formal education and medical help for their children. The alarming disappearance of her husband and sons on June 28 led her to contact authorities, only to discover later that he had taken the family on a long journey to the coastal area associated with the cult.
The investigation into the deaths around Shakahola Forest continues, with shocking revelations about the methods employed by the cult, including strangulation for those who delayed in starving themselves. In response to this tragedy, the Kenyan government plans to introduce stricter regulations for religious organizations to prevent such extremism in the future. Ultimately, Carolyne's wait for her children’s fate remains agonizing as she continues to reflect on the joy they should be experiencing at school and the pain of their absence.
