Marybeth was born on 3rd October 1985 to Francis Kariuki and Florence Muringi Wambugu. Her siblings were Benson and James Wambugu.

She started her early education at Fairlawns Primary School at the Kenya Agriculture Livestock Research Organization (KALRO) Muguga Station in Kiambu County, Kenya then later moving to Craig Primary School in St Louis, Missouri in the United States of America.

She completed her primary education in Kenya at St Christopher’s School and Rusinga School in Nairobi and proceeded to Greenacres High School where she sat for and passed her International Graduate Certificate for Secondary Education (IGCSE).

She joined Rhodes University in South Africa where she started a course towards a Bachelor of Social Science in Industrial Sociology. She changed her mind about her course choice, came back to Kenya and joined Daystar University where she was awarded a Bachelor’s Degree in Communication and Public Relations.

She was employed as a Radio Journalist with Radio Africa Group and Royal Media Services then she moved to Africa Harvest Biotech Foundation International where she served as a Communications Manager at the time of her demise.