Missing child: Why Njoro police term father main suspect

When Mtaa Wangu reached out to Jane Kariuki by phone, her voice was heavy with anxiety.

For two days, the mother has been searching for her two-year-old son, Prince Nathan, who disappeared on Monday, September 8, under unclear circumstances.

Jane says the day started with violence after her husband physically assaulted her and took away her phone.

Shaken, she went to the police station to report the assault. Jane then went back home, prepared for work and left the house. At the time, Nathan was with his father, seated outside their gate in Kariobangi , Njoro.

“That was the last time I saw my baby,” she says softly.

Jane notes she always left Nathan under the care of her sister. But on that fateful day, a routine call to check on him shattered her world.

“I called my sister at around 11 am to check on Nathan but I was told he had been missing for 30 minutes and they had been looking for him,” Jane recalls, her voice breaking under the weight of emotions.

It was Nathan’s father who had informed Jane’s sister of the toddler’s disappearance when she arrived at the house to check on the boy.

 “After hearing that I left work and joined the rest in the search. We live adjacent to River Ndarugu so we searched along the river and did not find him as well as in relatives and friends’ homes,” she explains.

Jane describes Nathan as a playful and lively child, last seen wearing a pink pull-neck, a beige sweater and black trousers. Further mentioning she struggles to understand what could have happened. 

“The bond between Prince and his father has always been strong. I do not think he would harm the child. Unless something triggered him but I just can’t believe it,” she says. 

Her words grew softer as she made an appeal to the public for information that could lead to her finding her child “Please, if anyone has seen my son or knows where he is, report to the police or contact me on 0719656803. Nathan is only two years old. He needs to be home with his family. I just want my baby back.”

Njoro Sub-County Police Commander Stanley Koech confirmed that the matter is under investigation, with the boy’s father currently being interrogated since he was the last person seen with the child.

“There were two matters before us, the assault complaint and the missing child case. We are questioning the father and following all possible leads to try and get the information that could lead us to the child,” Koech says.