The chilling riddle of missing children continues to haunt parents in Langas estate, Eldoret city, where at least three children have mysteriously vanished without a trace this year.
For Susan Mmbone, a single mother living in the informal settlement, life stopped nine months ago.
"My baby went missing under unclear circumstances. The last time I saw him was when he was playing outside our house," Mmbone said, detailing the disappearance of her only nine months old son, who vanished in March this year.
Adding pain to the tragedy, Mmbone has become a target of sophisticated fraudsters. She has received multiple calls from anonymous individuals claiming to have her son in custody, demanding money for his return.
"The last time I received such a call was three months ago, when someone claiming to be the OCS of Narok Police Station demanded Sh3,000 to transport the minor to Eldoret," Mmbone narrated. "After sending the money, he told me to go pick my baby at Matunda Police Station."
Children who have disappeared from Langas estate, Eldoret are aged between one month and nine years.
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Mmbone rushed to Matunda, only to be told there was no such arrangement. The phone number used by the caller has since gone out of service. Her current life is a devastating cycle of visiting police stations and mortuaries. "For the last nine months, I have never slept. I always encounter nightmares about my missing son," she lamented.
Naomi Njeri reported her 10-year-old daughter missing more than a year ago. She keeps her daughter's school books in the lounge as a daily reminder, clinging to hope that her child will one day return.
In the Kisumu Ndogo area of Langas, Alice Onyango is also a disturbed mother after her daughter went missing a year ago. She noted that the entire family's focus on the missing child has drastically reduced their productivity.
Ironically, in all these cases, the minors went missing in the evening while playing with their peers outside their residences, a fact that has terrified local residents. "These cases have made us fear allowing our children to play outside. We are living in fear for the minors," said Rachael Njambi, a resident of Kisumu Ndogo.
Kapseret Sub-County Police Commander, Zephaniah Kamureny, confirmed that all cases have been officially reported at Langas Police Station and that investigations are active.
Mr Kamureny revealed that a suspect in a related child trafficking syndicate has already been charged in court, confirming the police suspicion of a network operating in the area.
He also urged parents to be more vigilant, particularly during the festive season. "Some of the parents in the area are irresponsible. I request them to be more responsible to avoid similar cases," the police boss stated.
This is not the first occurrence of such tragedies in Langas. A year ago, over 30 missing children were reported, with multi-agency efforts tracing some to rescue centres and others miles away in counties like Busia and Vihiga. Police believe a renewed network is responsible for the recent disappearances.
