Police are investigating an incident where a one–day–old child was abandoned in Athi River, Machakos County.
The baby boy was rescued alive by passersby who found him lying along the road at Conerview village in the outskirts of Athi River town on Friday.
The incident was reported to Athi River police station at 8.30 pm on Friday.
Members of the public later alerted Athi River Assistant chief Martin Ngomo who together with two women picked the baby and took it to Athi River Level 4 Hospital for medical checkups.
“Some two women, well-wishers and I rushed the baby to the hospital to save its life,” Ngomo said.
Ngomo said the baby was naked when it was rescued.
“The baby had no clothes but wrapped with a warm blanket and put inside a sack. Its eyes were open,” he said.
The administrator said he alerted the police who later took over the matter.
Ngomo said the baby had seemingly cried enough by the time it was rescued. It looked tired and hungry.
He said according to their findings, the baby’s mother wasn’t a resident of the area where it was found abandoned.
The chief said they had asked around on any known woman who recently delivered but her child was missing but none was found.
“We think that someone could have carried the baby from another area, not nearby and abandoned him here. Police are investigating already as we also keep asking around and neighbourhood,” Ngomo said.
The baby was still under medics’ care at the same hospital by press time.
“All pregnant mothers will be audited, such devilish and inhumane acts shouldn’t be repeated,” Ngomo said.
Mavoko residents have in the recent past lamented about dumped fetuses which they claimed were rapidly becoming a common sight in the sub-county.
Mavoko was in June 2020 reported having 4,000 pregnant school-going girls.
Civil society organisations, local administrators and residents said since the report was made public, tens of dumped foetuses have been found, especially in slums and middle-class estates.
The most affected areas include Mlolongo town, Athi River, Joska, Kamulu, Kyumbi and Kinanie.
Residents have blamed the lack of stable sources of income.
According to a report by the Children’s Department Technical Working Group then, more than 3,800 girls above the age of 15 and 200 others under 14 fell pregnant between January and May 2020.
The report was released by the then Machakos County Children’s officer Salome Muthama during the Day of the African Child celebrations.
Some leaders and stakeholders who spoke to the Star said the figures could be true going by the high abortion rates.
“We have so far collected more than eight foetuses in my sub-location. I have today summoned a boda boda rider who is suspected to have impregnated an 18-year-old teenager but has failed to take responsibility,” said a government official who did not want to be named.
He said the teenager was seen at a dumpsite and residents suspected she intended to dump her newborn after delivery.
The residents took her to Athi River Level 3 Hospital for delivery and the man was made to take responsibility for the child.
Athi River sub-county volunteer Elijah Mboya, who doubles as a traffic marshal, urged parents to be responsible.
“It is the parents’ responsibility to raise their children. Let them take good care of the children,” Mboya said.
Mboya said falling pregnant is not the end of life and parents should not take their children for abortion.
He said there are lots of foetuses being collected from dustbins in the sub-county.
