A mother of an eleven old boy grade six pupil at Hillside Endarasha Academy is in distress as her son remains missing despite reports that he managed to escape a deadly fire that burnt down their school.
Angeline Wambui, the mother to Robinson Theuri, voiced her concerns about her son’s whereabouts which remain unknown 5 days after the inferno at the school claimed the lives of 21 boys.
Angeline’s hope now rests on a witness account from one of her son’s classmates who says that Robinson was safe alongside him and that he was directed to one of the classrooms.
She spent the better part of Tuesday, September 10, around hospitals in Nyeri County looking for her son despite the government’s announcement that all pupils had been accounted for.
“There is a boy who said that they left with my son. and they were even given blankets together and covered themselves,” said the mother.
“However, the other kid’s mother lives within the area and she came and took her son, and they didn’t know which class my son was left in as they were told to shelter inside two classes.”
This is the thread of hope that Angeline is hanging on to even after government announced that it had accounted for all pupils from the Hillside Academy inferno.
Mother of missing Hillside Endarasha School leaner speaks
The mother says she too presented herself for DNA testing having traveled from Mombasa where she resides.
However, she finds it hard to accept that her son will be found to be among the 19 children whose bodies are lying at the Narumoru Level Four morgue when an autopsy is done on the remains today.
Also Read: Hillside Endarasha: How a 12-Year-Old Boy Saved His Two Friends from Deadly Fire
Angeline says it will be hard to believe how that came to be because her son was among those who were rescued according to information in her possession with five days already passed.
“It’s hard to believe that my son is gone because his classmate said that they were safely evacuated,” she added.
Her pain can be felt even as she tries to stay strong that at some point her burden will be relieved.
Government Spokesman Isaac Mwaura had earlier said that all leaners of the school which had had 330 boarders, 166 girls and 164 boys had been accounted for.
In a statement released to newsrooms on Monday, Mwaura said parents of the 19 learners who succumbed are yet to identify their children.
Also Read: Red Flags that Fueled Fire at Hillside Endarasha Dormitory
“All girls are at home with their parents while all the 164 boys have been accounted for. Two of the boys died in the hospital while undergoing treatment and 19 other bodies were recovered from the burnt dormitory,” he stated.
“They will be proceeding to Naromoru for autopsy and processing. They will also receive mental health and psychosocial support.”
Isaac Mwaura statement
He expressed the government’s gratitude to everyone who stepped forward to support the affected children during the difficult situation, including the school community and surrounding neighbors.
“The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) together with the government pathologist are today conducting investigations and scientific analysis. More updates will follow as soon as the information is available,” he assured.
Mwaura added that health professionals have been on-site providing specialized care and assistance.
He said the Kenya Red Cross is coordinating support for affected parents and the school community, providing aid and counselling services.
Mwaura said 63 counsellors have been working round the clock providing counselling services and psychosocial support.
Other agencies that have stepped in to offer psycho-social support include the Amani Counselling Centre, Child Welfare Society and AMREF, he noted.
Follow our WhatsApp Channel for real-time news updates!
https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaB3k54HltYFiQ1f2i2C
