Kilifi: 5 Family Members Who Died After Eating Poisonous Mushrooms Buried In Emotional Ceremony

• A somber veil of sorrow cast its shadow upon a village in the Ganze constituency of Kilifi county
• The heartbroken crowd had gather to witness as a single family laid to rest five of their children aged between six and 14 years who lost their lives after consuming toxic mushrooms
• A poignant scene unfolded as the five small caskets were gently lowered into the earth, leaving the family, neighbors, community residents, and fellow students overcome with grief

One family in Keptendewa B, Ganze constituency is inconsolable after laying to rest five young children aged between 14 and six after they ate poisonous mushrooms.

The youngsters who died were 14-year-old Furaha Juma, Mariam Juma, nine, Sharifu Juma aged seven, six-year-old Mustafa Juma, and their cousin Eddie Charo.

Sad, emotional burial

A video by Citizen TV captured the sombre moments, wails, and sad faces as the coffins bearing the remains of the little ones were lowered into their final resting places.

Family members and neighbours broke down as curtains came down on the lives of the hapless kids who still had their futures ahead.

The five were buried in three graves; two of them in separate graves with three sharing one, taking with them all their dreams and ambitions.

Dejected students from Muungano Primary School where the deceased school also attended the burial to give their last respects.

Kids succumbed to liver failure

Details indicate that the kids succumbed after days of fighting for their lives at the Kilifi County Referral Hospital (KCRH) in the pediatric ward and the High Dependency Unit (HDU).

Medical Superitendent Malik Tajbhai said the children were characterised by vomiting and general discomfort before succumbing to liver failure.

Christine Furaha, whose two children ate the mushrooms, said it was common for children in the area to pick mushrooms during the rainy season.

She explained that the children picked the mushrooms themselves before eating the stew with ugali and their families.

Residents plead for gov't intervention

In the wake of the heartbreaking incident, residents have requested the help of the government to save them from recurrent drought seasons.

A family spokesperson explained that the area has in the recent years grappled with food challenges due to poor crop yields.

"Many of us tilled our lands and planted, but we didn't harvest much due to the harsh weather conditions," he said.