Police are investigating four separate deaths involving people found in rivers and a dam across Meru, Tana River, Makueni and Tharaka Nithi counties on Monday.
In Meru County, police in Akachiu Sub-County are investigating the death of an eight-year-old girl whose body was found floating in the Urra River.
The girl, who was reportedly living with a disability, is said to have left her home on Sunday, August 23, at an unknown time without her parents’ knowledge.
Her body was discovered floating in the river at about midday on Monday, August 24.
Police officers who visited the scene processed and documented it before retrieving the body and taking it to Nyambene Sub-County Hospital mortuary, where it was preserved pending an autopsy.
Police said no visible physical injuries were noted on the body as investigations continued to establish the circumstances surrounding her death.
In Tana River County, a 16-year-old boy was found dead after his body was spotted floating in River Tana in the Oda area.
Fishermen discovered the body at about 6.30pm on Monday and reported the incident to Tarasaa Police Station.
Police officers, assisted by members of the public, retrieved the body from the river.
The teenager, who was from Marereni, was working as a farmhand at a nearby farm. Preliminary information indicated that he had been unreachable on his known mobile phone number since Saturday, August 22.
Police said the circumstances under which he entered the river remained unclear.
The body was taken to Malindi Sub-County Hospital Mortuary pending an autopsy to establish the cause of death.
In Makueni County, a two-and-a-half-year-old boy drowned in a dam on his family farm in Illingoni village, Mavindini Location.
The boy was reportedly fetching water from the dam when he fell into the water.
His mother rescued him and rushed him to Mavindini Level 3 Hospital for emergency treatment. However, he was pronounced dead by the medical officer on duty.
Police officers visited and documented the scene as investigations continued into the circumstances surrounding the drowning.
Meanwhile, police in Tharaka South, Tharaka Nithi County, are investigating the death of a 60-year-old man whose body was found floating in River Kathita.
The incident was reported at Marimanti Police Station at about 5.35pm on Monday.
Police officers from Marimanti, accompanied by Directorate of Criminal Investigations officers from Tharaka South, retrieved the body from the river.
The deceased was identified as Peter Kithamburu, 60, a resident of Kaimuuru village.
Police said there were no visible external injuries on his body.
The scene was processed and documented before the body was moved to Marimanti Hospital Mortuary, where it was preserved pending a postmortem examination.
Investigations into all four incidents are ongoing to establish the circumstances surrounding the deaths.
