Tragedy strikes again as mother, her twins drown in River Yala
River Yala in Siaya County.
Mileng’a village in Bondo sub-county is mourning the deaths of a mother and her two children, who drowned in River Yala under unclear circumstances.
Everline Otiu, 35, went to the river on Friday to wash clothes, accompanied by her twins - a boy and girl aged two.
Usire sub-location assistant Chief Austine Bunde said when the husband, Samuel Owino, returned home, he found his wife and children were missing.
After a search, he found their clothes on the bank of the river but his wife and children were nowhere to be found.
“The husband was informed that his wife had gone to the river in the company of the twins. When he went to the river, he found clothes,” said the administrator.
“On learning of the incident, neighbours started searching and managed to retrieve the body of one of the twins and the mother,” said the chief.
Villagers are still searching for the other child’s body.
“The [two] bodies will be kept on the river bank until the body of the [other] child is found. This is according to Luo cultural practices,” said Mr James Ojode of Alego Kakan clan in Siaya County.
On Friday, the bodies of a 22-year-old man and a nine-year-old girl were retrieved from the river.
James Ombima reportedly drowned after jumping into the river to try and save the girl, Mitchell Adhiambo, who had slipped and fallen into the river.
Samuel Nyadue, Ombima’s brother, said he (Ombima) had been gardening when he heard children screaming.
It was when Ombima rushed to find out what was happening that he saw a girl being swept away by the water.
“He jumped into the river to try and save the girl but unfortunately, they both drowned.
Their bodies were taken to the Yala sub-county mortuary.
Last week, a Form One student of Siginga Secondary drowned in River Nzoia, where she had gone to wash her clothes.
