Do you know him? Police seek public’s help in finding minor's family after car crash
Police and medics are appealing for help in identifying a young boy who is stranded in a Molo hospital after being rescued from an accident in Mau Summit, Nakuru County.
Police and medics are appealing for help in identifying a young boy who is stranded in a Molo hospital after being rescued from an accident in Mau Summit, Nakuru County.
No one knows his exact age or name because all he has done since police and good Samaritans rescued him after the road crash on Monday night is cry.
The little boy is lucky to have survived the horrific road accident involving a Tahmeed bus that killed four people.
Hospital officials and police estimate he is about two years old.
"He looks to be about two or two and a half years old. No one has been able to trace his family because he isn't speaking…making it difficult for us to trace his family," said Kuresoi North Sub-County Police Commander Judah Gathenge.
"We are hoping that the media and other well-wishers can help us trace his family," he added.
Dressed in khaki shorts and a checked shirt, the minor has been at Molo Sub-county Hospital for three days since Monday evening.
He was among the survivors of the accident that occurred at the Jogoo area near Mau Summit on the Nakuru-Eldoret highway.
The accident claimed four lives and left 26 people injured.
Before landing in a ditch
The accident occurred on Monday evening when a Tahmeed Bus Company bus lost control and hit a student before landing in a ditch.
In an interview with the Nation, Mr Gathenge revealed that the bus was travelling from Eldoret to Nakuru when the accident occurred.
"It was a self-involving accident. The Tahmeed bus was coming from Eldoret towards Nakuru but when it reached the Jogoo area, the driver lost control and veered off the road before landing in a ditch," Mr Gathenge said.
"The bus hit a secondary school student who was coming from school before landing in a ditch. Three passengers also lost their lives in the accident," the police chief added.
Twenty-four injured people are receiving treatment at Molo Sub-county Hospital while two have been transferred to Nakuru Level Five Hospital for specialised treatment.
Witnesses said the three passengers and the student died on the spot.
The child was rescued by police officers and first responders who arrived at the scene.
He was rushed to the hospital with other survivors. However, three of them died before arriving at the hospital.
The boy was admitted along with 26 other survivors.
Waiting for his relatives to identify him
According to medics at the facility, the minor had a minor head injury and a fracture in his arm and was undergoing treatment while waiting for his relatives to identify him.
But for three days, no relative or parent has come forward or visited him in the hospital.
The minor has now been placed under the care of doctors at the facility.
Now the police and hospital authorities are asking for help in tracing the child's relatives.
According to Mr Gathenge, none of the survivors of the tragic accident who were admitted on Monday claimed to know the little boy.
The police boss further revealed that in an effort to reunite the child with his family, they have started tracing him from the booking office where the Mombasa-bound bus started its journey.
"We have started to trace the child's family, but I would like to ask anyone who can identify the child to contact us directly or the nearest police station. He is now under the care of a nurse. We have asked for the contact details of the Tahmeed bus company so that we can trace his relatives," he told the Nation.
Mr Gathenge revealed that they rescued three children, estimated to be under two years old, on Monday, but one was reunited with the family on Tuesday, while another family in Malindi has since claimed a second child.
Two families have come forward
"Two families have come forward to claim two children, but we will not release the babies until we are sure they really belong to them. One family is on its way from Malindi while the other has arrived from Kisumu," he said.
Molo Sub-county Hospital Medical Superintendent Susan Wanjiku told the Nation that the boy was in stable condition and out of danger.
"The little boy has been treated and is under the care of a nurse. He is out of danger. We are looking forward to reuniting him with his family," Dr Wanjiku said.
On Tuesday, the Nation established that the schoolgirl who died in the accident was a Form Four pupil at Koige Secondary School in Kuresoi North.
Her mother, Mary Njeri, who is still coming to terms with the death of her first-born daughter, said she received the tragic news from a neighbour.
Ms Njeri, who runs a salon in the Jogoo area, said the neighbour asked her to rush to the scene to confirm if her daughter was among the victims.
"I was shocked to learn that my daughter had died in the accident. I have lost my favourite child. I am heartbroken but I leave everything to God," said a tearful Ms Njeri.
According to Ms Njeri, her daughter left behind a 16-month-old baby that she gave birth to while in Form Two and later returned to school to complete her studies.
She described her daughter as a hardworking, humble, cheerful and bright girl.
