Siaya: Village Thrown Into Mourning As Class 1 Pupil Playing Near Dam Drowns

• Residents of Kopolo village in Siaya County are in mourning after a 4-year-old boy drowned in the village's dam
• His elder brother Stephen Otieno told police the little boy left home with others to fetch water from the dam when he met his untimely death
• Siaya County Police Commander Cleti Kimaiyo confirmed the incident, and the boy's body was moved to Bondo Sub-County Hospital mortuary
• Miners in Kisumu were cautioned against leaving their sites uncovered during rainy seasons to avoid such tragedies

Residents in South Sakwa Ward have been thrown into a somber mood after a four-year-old drowned in an open dam.

How did the unfortunate incident happen?

Earlier reports from residents indicated that the boy slipped into the dam located in the Kopolo area.

According to County Police Commander Cleti Kimaiyo, Stephen Otieno's elder brother told the police that tragedy struck when his little brother followed others to fetch water at the dam.

"The class one pupil from a local primary school was in the company of others playing. It is alleged that he slipped into the before fetching his water, as the others watched, unable to save him," Kimaiyo said.

Residents retrieve the body from the dam

According to Citizen Digital, the little boy was retrieved from the dam by members of the public when the police arrived at the tragic scene.

Kimaiyo said the body was taken to Bondo Sub-County Hospital, awaiting postmortem.

"When we arrived at the accident scene, we found the boy's body already drawn from the dam by residents. The body was later moved to Bondo Sub-County Hospital," Kimaiyo stated.

Three-year-old drowns in a well in Kisumu

In April, a three-year-old boy accidentally fell and drowned in an open borehole while playing with others in Kisumu.

Following the tragic incident, Upper Nyakach Assistant County Commissioner Darwin Orina warned miners against leaving sites uncovered, especially during the rainy seasons, as they pose a danger to the community living around.

The boy's body was seen floating at the borehole before residents and police helped in retrieving the body.

Proofreading by Mercy Nyambura Guthua, journalist and copy editor at TUKO.co.ke