Residents of Kairiri village in Timau Ward, Buuri Constituency in Meru County have retrieved the body of a Grade 6 pupil who drowned in a private dam last evening.
The 12-year old boy reportedly went missing yesterday evening, prompting the residents to start a search for him.
A villager, Mwathe Nderi, said they heard people making phone calls in the morning inquiring about the whereabouts of the minor, prompting them to form a search team.
He said that one of the residents revealed to them that he had spotted the deceased with other boys near the dam.
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“When we went to the dam we found the deceased clothes lying nearby. This further confirmed to us that he might have accidentally drowned in the dam,” narrated Nderi.
He said the locals originally tried unsuccessfully to drain the water from the dam using different methods in a bid to spot and retrieve the body.
“After realizing we might waste the entire day here, the youth decided to dive into the dam and look for the body. After vigorous search they managed to retrieve it. Police officers came and inspected the dam but left without doing anything. Only the area chief and his assistant assisted us in the search,” said Nderi.
The man who finally managed to spot and retrieve the body said he does not know the deceased and only responded to distress calls from the villagers.
The residents are now calling for the immediate fencing of all dams in the locality in a bid to avoid such tragic incidents in the future.
“We are really shocked by the tragic incident which happened last night. We are lost for words. Parents should always ensure that they take care of their children. The dam is too large and a risk to everyone. It should be fenced in order to avoid such tragedies,” said a resident.
Nderi said that children should not be sent to the forest alone because the dam is located near the road which makes it unsafe for the minors.
By John Majau
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