A 25-year-old Kenyan-American soldier, Cynthia Muchugia, has been missing in the United States since Sunday, July 28, 2025, sparking urgent appeals from family, friends, and local law enforcement in Massachusetts.
Muchugia, who serves in the U.S. Army, was last seen before her car was discovered abandoned on Middlesex Street in the town of Stow, located in Middlesex County, Massachusetts.
The discovery of the unattended vehicle raised immediate concern, especially after she stopped communicating with her loved ones.
When several calls and messages to her phone went unanswered, family members grew increasingly alarmed and reported her disappearance to local police.
On August 5, the Stow Police Department issued a public statement appealing for help to locate the missing soldier.
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Stow Police Department appeals after Cynthia Muchugia goes missing
The department confirmed that Cynthia was officially reported missing on July 28 and emphasized that her family and friends were “deeply concerned for her well-being.”
“The Stow Police Department is urgently asking for the public’s help in locating 25-year-old Cynthia Muchugia who was reported missing on Monday, July 28, 2025,” the statement read in part.
“Law enforcement officials are actively investigating the case and are asking anyone who may have seen Cynthia or has information about her whereabouts to come forward immediately.”
As of now, no foul play has been confirmed, but the unusual circumstances of her disappearance and the location of her car have heightened the urgency of the investigation.
Police did not disclose what was found inside the car, nor did they offer details about her last known movements prior to July 28.
Anyone with information that could help locate her is urged to contact the Stow Police Department at 978-897-4545 or reach out directly to Detective Roger at 978-793-3759. Investigations remain ongoing.
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The incident came after the family of a Kenyan elderly man issued an update in July after he went missing in the U.S., days after he traveled about 8,200 miles to watch his first grandson graduate from high school in Alabama.
Kenyan grandpa goes missing in the U.S.
Reuben Waithaka, a 72-year-old grandfather, arrived from Kenya six days before the graduation ceremony was to take place. He landed with his wife, Elizabeth Barua, and was staying at their son’s house in Calera, Alabama.
Tucked inside his suitcase were sentimental gifts — among them, faded photos from his son’s childhood and matching African print shirts for himself, his son, and his grandson. The family had hoped to wear them together on graduation day — a moment that never came to be.
Just hours after the couple arrived, Reuben reportedly walked out of the house and vanished. Despite prompt efforts by the family — including filing a police report, circulating posters, and collecting surveillance footage — Waithaka remains missing weeks later.
Doorbell camera footage captured him leaving the house at exactly 11:08 a.m. on May 15. He was dressed in khaki trousers and a blue-and-white checkered shirt. About half an hour later, he was spotted entering a gas station roughly two miles away. He waved to the store clerk, entered the restroom, and quietly exited through the back door.
Surveillance and witness reports later confirmed he received two rides from strangers. The first was from a neighbor who dropped him off only a few houses away. The second was from a DoorDash driver who left him back at the same gas station.
A local resident would later spot a man matching his description crawling beneath a gate into a nearby wooded area. Authorities quickly mounted a full-scale search operation involving drones, helicopters, sniffer dogs, and thermal imaging equipment — but none of these efforts yielded results.
His granddaughter, Elaine Westry Njoki, took to TikTok to raise awareness and appeal for prayers. “My grandfather, Reuben Waithaka, has been missing since Wednesday, May 15. He was visiting from Kenya for my cousin’s high school graduation. It has been very difficult for my family and me, but we won’t give up. Please keep us in your prayers and share the word,” she wrote in a post.
Njoki also responded to questions regarding Waithaka’s state of mind, clarifying that he appeared confused and unaware of his location.
“My cucu (grandmother) tried to stop him, but he wouldn’t listen, and no, he didn’t even know he was in America; he thought he was still in Kenya,” she said.
The family has checked with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) but found no leads. The search continues, with hope and heartbreak tightly intertwined.
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