This archive report was first published on 4 May 2021.
On May 1, 2021, a four-month-old baby died after being blocked at a police curfew roadblock in Nyamira County, Kenya. The baby's family believes that her life could have been saved if they had not been delayed at the roadblock.
The baby's grandfather hired a taxi to take her and her 16-year-old mother to Kisii Teaching and Referral Hospital (KTRH) after she developed breathing complications at Gucha Hospital. However, they were stopped at the police roadblock on the Kisii-Keroka road outside Keroka Police Station.
According to the baby's grandfather, the police officers questioned the taxi driver about why he was operating past curfew hours and refused to allow them to pass through the roadblock. The driver was forced to use an alternative route, which caused a further delay.
When they finally arrived at the hospital, it was about an hour late, and the doctors told them that the child had already died. The baby was supposed to be put on oxygen, according to a medical report.
The family is now calling for independent investigations to ensure justice. The police have refuted claims that the taxi was held up for 40 minutes, saying it was delayed for only 15 minutes due to a traffic jam at the roadblock.
However, the taxi driver and the baby's grandfather dispute this, saying that they were held up for over 40 minutes. The police are investigating the matter, and anyone found culpable will face the full force of the law.
