Death’s cold hand claims five Nakuru children in tragic circumstances

Nakuru, a city often admired for its vibrancy and growth, is quietly mourning the loss of some of its youngest residents, children who died under haunting and unusual circumstances.

Behind these tragedies are parents clinging to memories, unanswered questions, and, in some cases, a desperate hope that the wheels of justice will finally turn in their favour.

On June 23, three-year-old Margaret Wanjiru was murdered just near their PCEA Mchanganyiko Church in the Mchanga area, Bahati ,the same place her family believed was safe, sacred, and secure.

The suspected killer? A teenage church member, turning a sanctuary into a crime scene.

Margaret’s parents are now left not only with grief but also with the long, uncertain wait for justice, hoping the courts will bring answers and accountability.

Earlier, on April 30, seven-year-old Glen Karanja was walking home from school when he was swept away by raging floodwaters in the Milimani area.

The rains had come hard, and the fast-flooding water overwhelmed the child as his sister watched helplessly. Glen never made it home. His body was found later, leaving his family and the community devastated.

His death exposed the harsh reality of poor urban infrastructure and the risks facing children who must travel long distances to reach schools, especially in flood-prone areas in Nakuru.

Yet another case, on May 23, 2025, eight-year-old Maxwell Ndumbia was attacked by a man believed to be working at their neighbour’s home.

The brutal knife assault left Maxwell fatally wounded, as deep cuts affected his major arteries, causing severe bleeding. Tragically, Maxwell succumbed to his injuries.

In another heart-wrenching case 15-year-old, Alvin Otieno was found dead at Nakuru county mortuary on July 7 after what is suspected to have been a violent epileptic seizure.

With no identification and no one to speak for him, Alvin’s body remained in the morgue unclaimed, until his father found him.

And in a case still surrounded by unresolved pain, seven-month-old Baby Mercy Chepng’eno died while receiving treatment at the Nakuru County Teaching and Referral Hospital (NCTRH). But her body later went missing from the hospital’s mortuary.

Since February 7, 2025, her parents have searched for answers and have gotten none on the whereabouts of their daughter’s body.

These are not isolated stories. They reflect deeper issues in Nakuru: the urgent need for safer spaces, emergency preparedness, mental and public health support, and systemic accountability when children’s lives are at stake.

The city must do more. Authorities, churches, schools, hospitals, and the justice system must rise to protect every child.