Kirinyaga: New Year celebrations turn tragic as 13-year-old boy drowns in hotel swimming pool

Grief has engulfed a family at Kagio in Kirinyaga County following the death of their son who drowned in the swimming pool of a local hotel on New Year's day.

According to Mwea West sub-county Police Commander Mbatian Kantai, the body of the 13-year-old boy was retrieved on Monday night at around 11pm after a two-hour search in the pool.

Relatives, led by Florence Muriithi, said the boy had gone for New Year celebrations at the hotel in the company of his mother Eunice Wairimu and younger sibling when the incident occurred.

“We arrived here at around 3pm with my children to celebrate the New Year and after paying the swimming pool fee, I did not know I would go home without my 13-year-old boy who was very happy as we entered the hotel,” Wairimu said.

She said the boy was a Grade 7 pupil at Rwang'ondu Primary school  in Mwea West and was set to join Grade 8 this year.

“At around 6:30pm, I could not spot him as I was breastfeeding my 3-year-old baby, and that's when I informed his father and the hotel management that he was missing,” Wairimu added.

Kantai said the body of the deceased has since been taken to the Kerugoya County Referral  Hospital mortuary waiting post-mortem.

The police boss further urged parents and hotel managements to keep a watchful eye on children when they’re in the swimming pools.