Kebirigo, Nyamira County – July 17, 2025: Residents of Migingo village in Kebirigo, Nyamira County, are reeling from the shock of a disturbing discovery — a one-month-old baby boy abandoned in a tea plantation overnight.
The incident came to light when a local woman heard faint cries around midnight, initially assuming it was a neighbour’s child. But when the cries persisted the following morning, she decided to investigate.
Following the direction of the sounds, the woman was stunned to find a newborn baby neatly wrapped in a shawl, lying in the cold tea bushes. He was well-dressed and protected from the cold, suggesting he may have been left there intentionally but with care.
“She called me even before she stepped out,” said Sammy Ondimu Ngare, a police officer and the woman’s in-law, in an interview with TUKO.co.ke.
Ngare advised her to involve neighbours for safety and immediately notify the local chief and authorities.
Baby Transferred to Children’s Home as Investigations Begin
The baby boy was promptly rescued and handed over to the Nyamira County children’s department, who later transferred him to a childcare facility in Kisumu for proper care and safety.
“I truly understand life can be hard. I don’t know what could have pushed the mother to do this, but I’m grateful the child is alive,” Ngare shared in a heartfelt post on Facebook.
He confirmed that police are now working to trace the child’s mother to understand her circumstances and motives.
Public Reaction: Sympathy, Outrage, and Calls for Support
The story has triggered a wave of emotion online. While some Kenyans expressed sympathy toward the unknown mother, suggesting postnatal depression or extreme poverty, others demanded a full investigation and justice for the baby.
“The mother might have been overwhelmed and in desperate need of help,” one commenter noted.
Others questioned the lack of support systems for struggling mothers and called on government agencies to step up interventions for maternal mental health.
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For breaking news on child protection, mental health, and human stories from around Kenya, stay with sauce.co.ke.
If you or someone you know is struggling with motherhood, contact the Ministry of Health Kenya or reach out to mental health support services like Befrienders Kenya.
