Children found dead in slum

Police are investigating the mysterious death of five children, all under the age of 10, whose bodies were discovered by neighbours on Thursday morning.

The deaths in the Korogocho slum of Nairobi are being treated as a case of murder, Kasarani deputy police boss Joseph Gichangi said.

Neighbours found the three boys and two girls after becoming suspicious that the door was locked at 10am.

The boys were aged between two and 10 while the girls were four and seven years. “We believe this is a scene of murder. Neighbours realised that today the children had not come out to play as usual and so they peeped in and saw the bodies,” Mr Gichangi said.

“We are yet to establish the motive, but we are investigating.”

On a metal bed

The Nation found the bodies of the children lying on a blue mattress on a metal bed. One of them, the youngest, about two years old or so, had injuries in his stomach, which the police described as “stab wounds.”

One of the girls had injuries in the nose and seemed to have foamed at the mouth. The other children had no visible injuries.

The family lived in a tiny, dark room no more than three metres by three metres. Suitcases, clothes and laundry pegs were strewn all over the room as were cushions and polythene bags.

There was a small cupboard in which containers of sugar, salt, tea leaves and other household items stood. On top of it was an old Bible, its pages yellowed, perhaps from smoke.

The corridor leading to the house was narrow, about two feet wide, but also carried the muck of sewage.

Witnesses said the children often slept on their own mattress on the floor while the parents used the bed.

It was not clear whether the children died on their bed or were killed elsewhere.

Police do not know the whereabouts of the parents, whose identity the neighbours knew.

The family moved to Korogocho from Huruma estate a month ago.

“They have been having quarrels. The wife just came in yesterday, days after she had disappeared following a fight,” said a neighbour who identified herself as Mary Waithera.

The man, who neighbours claimed is a herbal medicine man from Gem in Siaya county, is said to have moved in alone first before the family joined him after a few days.

“I know the family well; they have been having fights. The wife has been doing menial jobs like washing clothes,” said one Jamilla Akoth, who said she was the family’s neighbour in Huruma.

The bodies have been taken to the City Mortuary.