Christmas tragedy as two boys drown in abandoned quarry in Njoro
Eleven-year-old James Mwaura died in an abandoned quarry in Kihingo. His family suspects that the grade 6 pupil died while swimming.
The Christmas celebrations of two families in Njoro turned tragic when two boys, aged 11 and 12, were found dead in a muddy pool inside an abandoned quarry in the Kihingo area.
The two children, were reported missing on Christmas eve. Their disappearance prompted an overnight search involving relatives, neighbours, and other local residents.
However, their bodies were discovered the following day, December 25, bringing an end to the search with devastating grief.
Speaking to Mtaa Wangu, family members recounted how the search had unfolded and how the shocking discovery had been made.
Purity Wangui is the aunt of 11-year-old James Mwaura, who died in an abandoned quarry in the Kihingo area. The family suspects that the children were swimming when they died.
Purity Wangui, an aunt to one of the boys, notes that James Mwaura was 11 years old and had only been looking after their sheep for three days before he met his death.
She explained that the breakthrough in finding the missing children came in the early hours of the morning, when her son noticed something floating near the water-filled quarry ditches.
"He recognised the jacket by the water. It belongs to James. We immediately rushed down to the quarry. When we threw a stone in, two bodies floated up,” she says.
She notes that the area chief was alerted, and that police officers arrived at the scene and spent several hours documenting the incident and retrieving the bodies.
She adds that preliminary observations by the family suggest that the boys may have drowned while attempting to swim or rescue each other.
"One child had taken off his clothes, while the other was still wearing his trousers and shoes. We believe one entered the water first and the other followed, trying to help," Wangui explains.
She says that the abandoned quarry, which is estimated to be between 25 and 30 feet deep, had recently filled with rainwater following the resumption of excavation activities in November. Residents say the site is unfenced and easily accessible to children.
“If there had been a fence, it would have been difficult for the children to get in. We are asking for a fence to be put up to prevent this from happening again in future,” says Wangui.
Peter Wachira's father, Francis Mwangi, emotionally describes how he received the news of his son's death.
Peter Wachira, one of the deceased children, was described by his father, Francis Mwangi, as a hardworking and obedient 12-year-old.
“He left home at around 11am that morning to feed the goats in the open pastureland in the village. He had been helping me with farm work and looking after cattle in his free time,” says Mwangi.
The father of five says that when Wachira failed to return by 7pm, the family began searching nearby homes and places where children usually play. However, they did not find him.
Purity Wangui, aunt of 11-year-old James Mwaura, points to the ditches filled with water in an abandoned quarry in Kihingo, where her nephew and his friend were found dead.
“We searched all evening and all night. At dawn, neighbours went out searching again. That is when they found the children dead, and they alerted me,” he says, tears welling up in his eyes.
Wachira was the fourth child, and his father says that his death has completely changed their home.
“Christmas didn't happen. Everything stopped,” he says, noting that they had thought they would celebrate, but that it ended up being a painful day.
The families say the two children were great friends and classmates who had just finished their grade six national exams at Mutamaiyo Primary School.
“James wanted to become a pilot and Wachira an engineer; however, their dreams have been cut short,” the family states.
Peter Wachira, 12, and James Mwaura, 11, died while swimming in an abandoned quarry in the Kihingo area.
As grief grips Kihingo village, residents are calling on the authorities and landowners to urgently secure abandoned quarries and water-filled pits. They are warning that, unless action is taken, more children will remain at risk.