By Andrew Kariuki

A 12-year-old boy has died after drowning in a swimming pool in Ngurubani town, Mwea, Kirinyaga County, in a tragic incident that occurred just two days before his scheduled baptism.

The boy had been preparing for the ceremony at St. Joseph Allamano Wang’uru Catholic Church, which was set to take place on Saturday.

According to police, the incident happened on Thursday in a children’s swimming pool. He was rushed to a nearby private hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival.

Detectives from Wang’uru Police Station have since launched investigations into the circumstances surrounding the incident. Officers say they will review CCTV footage from the facility and record statements from individuals who were present at the time.

Residents identified the boy’s mother as Rose Kagendo, who works at a private hospital in Mutithi, about five kilometres from Ngurubani.

It is reported that Kagendo had taken her son to church earlier that morning for final baptism preparations before leaving for work. She was later called to the scene at around 2 p.m., where she found her only child unresponsive.

“I will not see my son again,” she said.

Police say investigations are ongoing as they seek to establish how the drowning occurred.