Boy, 12, drowns in cattle dip following floods
An image of a cattle dip. A boy accidentally plunged into a flooded disused cattle dip as he played at Kiandegwa village in Kirinyaga County.
What you need to know:
- Boy accidentally plunged into a flooded disused cattle dip as he played at Kiandegwa village in Kirinyaga County.
- Cattle dip was built by the government in 1978 and later abandoned.
A 12-year-old schoolboy died after he accidentally plunged into a flooded disused cattle dip as he played at Kiandegwa village in Kirinyaga County.
The Sunday incident left the family, worshipers and villagers reeling in shock.
According to the villagers, the boy sneaked out of the local Kenya Revival Church where he was attending Sunday service with her parents and joined other children who were playing at the nearby cattle dip.
As the boy identified, as Dennis Murimi played with his playmates, he slipped into the cattle dip which was full of water due to heavy rains and drowned.
His colleagues raised an alarm, attracting worshipers and villagers who unsuccessfully tried to rescue the boy.
The incident disrupted the Sunday service in the Church as worshipers hurriedly rushed out to assist in the rescue mission.
Later, the body of the minor was recovered and taken to the morgue.
Area assistant chief, Julius Waweru said it was sad the life of the boy had been claimed by floods.
He advised parents to take care of their children during this time of heavy rains.
The boy's parents said they couldn't believe their son had died until they saw his lifeless body.
“We were in Church when our son left without our knowledge, moments later we heard that he had drowned," said Mr Shem Ngari, the father to the deceased.
Following, the incident angry villagers protested saying the cattle dip had become a death trap.
They swore to demolish it to make their children safe."
This cattle dip was built by the government in 1978 and later abandoned, it is no longer in use and it must go," one of the residents Jeremiah Nyaga said.
