Githurai: 7-year-old boy in a coma after falling during school trip

A family in Githurai 44 area of Kiambu County is seeking justice for their son who was injured following a merry-go-round accident on Tuesday this week.

7-year-old Caleb Odanga fell from the merry-go-round swing while on a school trip and is now fighting for his life at the Kenyatta University Teaching, Referral and Research Hospital (KUTRRH) at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

The incident is threatening to end the life of the young boy, with doctors explaining to the family that their son has no realistic chance of cure and no medical interventions will reverse the situation.

The family has now been advised to pull the plug on their son- in simple terms, withdraw the life support.

Tubes and machines in between beeping monitors envelop the boy in the ICU, a relentless reminder of the fragility of life.

The appraisal of two independent doctors say Caleb is unlikely to recover and therefore it is imperative for the family to sign a form giving doctors consent to pull the plug.

“Hapumui kwa njia ile inastahili...kutoka Tuesday tumejadiliana na madaktari wakasema wamefika mwisho kwa sababu akili imeharibiwa,” Stephen Maina Githua, a relative said.

“If I sign that (form), it means I am sending my son to the grave,” Mwangi Odanga, his father added.

According to the family, the doctors explained to them the severity of the damage to the brain and that their son is unlikely to regain capacity for rational existence, but the family says they will cling onto every hope and even seek a second opinion.

“It is our conviction that there is still hope and we are appealing we get an expert because we can’t sign a form that our son is no more,” Mr. Odanga added.

“Moyo wetu sio mtoto akufe, atibiwe aweze kupona,” his grandfather Maina Githua stated.

The Grade One pupil at Greens Angels Academy fell off from the swing on a school trip to Destiny Gardens in Kiambu’s Ruiru area. 

“Walipomfunga kwa ile merry-go-round, mtoto alianguka kutoka juu akakimbizwa hapo,” his father stated.

The family of the promising young boy who is faced with a dilemma regarding their son’s life are blaming the school’s administration for turning its back on them in their time of need.

“Leo hii tumewapigia simu wakasema hawako...they can’t have a meeting with us...na sisi tuliwapa mtoto wetu akiwa mzima, wakaturudishia akiwa ICU,” his aunt Lucy Matunda stated.

The director of the school, Hilda Mwangi, in a phone conversation with Citizen TV however dismissed the claims, stating that the school is willing to assist the family in every way.

“We have been following up after taking the kid to the hospital until yesterday when the family turned cruel to us,” Ms. Mwangi said.

The management of Destiny Gardens, while sympathising with the family, says the merry-go-round swing was in good shape and all the safety measures were followed to the latter. 

“It was a very unfortunate incident…The machine has all the safety measures...the instructor was present and he ensured everything was okay,” John Njuguna, the Director, lamented.

Despite the doctors’ appraisal and the condition of Caleb, the family is seeking a second opinion hope for a miracle believing their son will return from the depths of his coma.