A university student who died in the US under unclear circumstances was on Saturday laid to rest in an emotional send-off at her parents’ home in Uasin Gishu County.

Norah Chelagat Borus, 24, was found dead in her hostel room at Stanford University on June 14.

She was buried in her father’s farm in Ray Farm, Moiben Constituency, in a ceremony where leaders were barred from talking politics.

Chelagat, who emerged top student in Nairobi County and fourth nationally in the 2013 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) was eulogised as a brilliant girl who loved sciences.

She was pursuing a degree in computer studies and majored in artificial intelligence.

Chelagat was set to graduate by the end of this month as she had already started her master’s programme.

The last born in a family of three children, Chelagat was described as a staunch Christian who loved singing and storytelling.

“She loved to sing as well as play the good songs of the bells. She loved to sing ‘Bridge over Troubled waters’ with her piano and her guitar that soothed and touched most people’s lives,” eulogised her mother Dinah Borus.

Chelagat joined the Equity Bank Foundation where she worked as a teller while waiting for her university placement after emerging top student at Precious Blood School Riruta in the 2013 KCSE.

With her passion in artificial intelligence, she worked as an intern at Box in 2017 and Facebook in 2018 during her summer break. She was set to continue working with Facebook.

Her father Dr Peter Borus said his daughter loved science and she would engage him on complex topics.

Chelagat is said to have talked with her siblings over the phone on June 7 as she marked her birthday, a week before she was found dead.

On June 12, according to her family, Chelagat had a chat with her brother Dennis Kipchirchir, and she confirmed that she was well.

But two days later, the family receives news about her death.

“I remember when your name was read on the television and we were just the two of us in the house. We held our hands together and thanked God in prayer before leaving for Precious Blood Riruta. It was a grand entry and in the twinkle of an eye you had been whisked away and celebrated by Kenyans,” said her mother Dinah Borus in her eulogy.

Dinah recalls her last video chat with her daughter on June 8 when she wished her a belated birthday.

The funeral was attended by Elgeyo Marakwet Governor Alex Tolgos, MPs Silas Tiren (Moiben), William Kisang (Marakwet West), William Cheptumo (Baringo North) and Tourism Chief Administrative Secretary Joseph Boinnet among others.