Nakuru County, under the Ministry of Health, has launched investigations into the disappearance of the body of a seven-month-old baby that went missing at Nakuru County Teaching and Referral Hospital (NCTRH) on Thursday.

A statement issued by Nakuru County Health CECM Roselyn Mungai says the county, in collaboration with the hospital, has asked the police to investigate the matter.

"A thorough investigation is underway to establish the circumstances surrounding the disappearance and to ensure that those responsible are brought to book. We call for calm and patience while the police carry out their investigations. We want to assure the family and the public that we are committed to full transparency and will provide timely updates as directed by the investigating authorities," Ms Mungai says.

Medical Superintendent, Dr James Waweu, says they suspect there may have been a mix-up, with the likelihood that another family may have taken the body of a child that does not belong to them.

"Our preliminary assessment is that there may have been a mix-up when the children were handed over to their families for burial. Five children have left the mortuary since Monday for burial. There is a possibility that a parent took a child that was not theirs and left their child at the mortuary. We have searched for the body but have not found it. We are waiting for more details from the police," Dr Waweru says.

Daniel Kipchirchir said he and his wife went to the NCTRH on Sunday after their daughter (Mercy) developed breathing difficulties.

While at the facility, doctors attended to her and she started to get better.

He then went home, leaving the child in the care of her mother at the hospital.

"When I left the hospital, Mercy's condition seemed to be improving. However, during the night of Monday things took a turn for the worse," he says.

When he arrived at the hospital and looked at his wife, he knew the worst had happened. His wife told him that their child had died. The pain of losing his child was unbearable, but for the sake of his wife, who was already devastated by the news, he had to be strong.

They immediately began making funeral arrangements.
They went to the hospital on Wednesday, completed the necessary paperwork, brought the clothes and the coffin, and waited to collect the body on Thursday February 6.

"We arrived at the facility on Thursday, only for the morgue attendant to take us around in circles when we asked what was taking them so long to hand over my daughter's body," he says, revealing how the situation has added to his family's distress.

Sharon Saidi, mother to Mercy Chepngeno whose body went missing at the Nakuru County Teaching and Referral Hospital (NCTRH) mortuary.

Photo credit: Purity Kinuthia/Mtaa Wangu

His wife, Sharon Saidi, notes that the facility had previously told her that they needed at least two hours before they could release the body.

"As a mother, I am in so much pain to see that the facility has no idea where my daughter's body is. I don't want them to act surprised at what has happened to us, I want them to act promptly so that I can bury my child and have closure," she said through tears.

Mercy's parents, who are both deaf and mute, have been struggling to get clear communication from the hospital. They hope that their daughter's body will be found and returned to them so that they can bury her.

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