Jaylan Njoroge, 13, who was found dead on February 11, 2025 at an isolated spot next to Relector Road in Kamulu.
Residents of Reflector Estate in Kamulu, Machakos County, are living in fear of rising insecurity in the area.
In Reflector Estate, as children are targeted, picked up by unknown assailants, bundled into vehicles never to be seen again.
At times, the children are returned to their parent's doorsteps after being defiled. In some cases, they are found dead.
The latest victim is 13-year-old Jaylan Njoroge Laban, who went missing on February 7, 2025.
On the evening of February 11, Njoroge's body was found dumped next to the fence of an isolated plot, barely 100 metres from their home.
The decomposed body was discovered by a resident who drawn to investigate the source of a foul smell.
At first, the woman thought the smell was coming from an animal's carcass. She was however shocked to stumble on the boy's body. The minor, who was still in full school uniform, had a slit throat.
The woman's screams attracted the attention of the entire estate as tens of resident rushed to the scene.
It was then that some residents hurriedly fetched and led 61-year-old Jane Mumbi to the spot where her grandson had been found dead.
“Njoroge was a very obedient and calm boy. He was always quick to offer assistance to anyone who needed help. He would be home by 6pm so when he didn’t show up by 7pm, we knew something was not right,” Ms Mumbi said.
The Grade 5 pupil had been reported missing at Kamulu Police Station when he failed to return home from school. The report was filed under OB number 47/07/02/2025 just two minutes before midnight.
After young Njoroge was reported missing, a search party was quickly assembled, but all efforts to trace him proved futile.
Four days later, Njoroge’s body was discovered eerily close to his home.
The body later taken to Kenyatta University Teaching and Referral Hospital mortuary.
The post-mortem report indicated that the boy suffered slash wounds to the head and arms. He also had a severed trachea and neck vessels all which resulted in severe bleeding.
“The post mortem results will greatly assist us in knowing the kind of weapons used for the murder. It is still too early to comment on the matter but with time, we will give an update,” a police officer involved in the case told Nation.Africa.
A week before Njoroge’s death, a teenage girl was rescued by residents as she fled from unknown assailants who had attempted to force her into a white vehicle.
“Had we not been walking around that place, the young girl would have either been raped or killed,” said Patrick Murithi, a resident.
Some three weeks ago, just 300 metres from where Njoroge’s body was found, a three-year-old boy was kidnapped and later returned to his home’s gate. The child had been defiled.
The mother said the harrowing incident is still too fresh for her to speak about.
“All we want is better security here. Children are not safe in this area. We ask the government to consider this a special zone area. Must we continue living in fear of our lives?” the woman said.
Whereas the police have promised to take action and boost the security in the area, residents said the fact that they live on the border of Nairobi and Machakos has complicated their appeals for increased patrols by the police in the area.
Titus Kimani, an area resident, said there has been an increase of cases of daytime break-ins and robberies. He said every time they report the cases, they are told they are in Machakos County and not Nairobi.
“We are afraid of even leaving our house in the daytime because of the break-ins. It gets worse at night. By 6pm, everyone rushes back home because even we adults are scared that we might be abducted and killed. We no longer feel safe,” he said.
The residents have appealed to the government to establishment of a police post in the area.
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