Body of girl, 11, retrieved three weeks after drowning in Bomet

The body of an 11-year-girl who drowned three weeks ago was finally retrieved from a river in Bomet County on Friday.

Brenda Chepkemoi, a Class Four pupil at Three Angels Academy in Bomet township drowned at Nyangores River at Raia village.

She is said to have slipped into the river while trying to retrieve a sandal but was swept away by the raging waters on November 3, 2019.

 “The body has been found floating at Chebirir area, some four kilometres from the point where she drowned,” said Bomet County Disaster Management Officer Stanley Mutai.

Mr Mutai said six divers from the county had been searching for the body for 17 days. 

“It is suspected that the heavy rains that pounded Bomet County in the last two days leading to a sharp rise in water levels in the river set the body loose from where it was trapped,” said Mr Mutai.

The girl’s parents – Weldon and Mercy Bett – were relieved after the body was discovered and retrieved from the river.

 “This is the end of a long, tortuous and sad journey that has deprived us of sleep for weeks. Our child has died at a tender age, but we believe that God has a purpose for everything,” said Mr Bett on Friday.

At the time of the accident, the girl was taking a bath at the river with two other children aged eight and five years. The body has been taken to Longisa Hospital Mortuary.