This archive report was first published on 5 January 2022.
On Sunday, January 2, 2022, four children went missing from their residence in Gatuanyaga, Kiambu County, sparking a police investigation.
According to their guardian, Catherine Karongo, the children, aged between 7 and 11 years, were last seen playing outside their home at around 2 pm. They were later found to have been abducted and taken to an abandoned room near Makongeni estate, where they were held captive for 16 hours.
The children, who were blindfolded and their mouths, hands, and legs tied up, managed to escape after one of them kicked off a piece of iron sheet covering a window. They were driven for about four kilometers before being left in the abandoned room.
Area Deputy Sub-county Police Commander Muthee Nyaga confirmed the incident, stating that investigations are underway. He cautioned parents to be vigilant about their children's safety.
Residents, led by Cecilia Wamaitha, a local leader, have raised concerns over the increased insecurity cases in the area, with several kidnapping and gruesome murders reported in the past year.
