A Kenyan woman has shared the painful story of how her 4-year-old son died after her househelp allegedly threw him into a well at their home and ran away.
Mercy Ogechi, who lives in Gisembe village, Ichuni, Nyaribari Masaba in Kisii County, tearfully recalled the moment she learned about her son’s tragic death during an interview with a local TV station.
She explained that she received a phone call from an unknown number telling her to rush home to help her injured child.
Mercy revealed that the caller didn’t explain what happened, only insisting that her son needed immediate attention.
At first, she could not imagine that her child had passed away.
She tried calling the househelp to find out what had happened, but she received no answer.
“The caller hung up, and when I tried to call back, they wouldn’t say who they were. They just said I should hurry home because my child needed help. I immediately called the househelp, but she didn’t pick up any of my calls,” Mercy said, crying.
Worried and scared, she left work and rushed back home.
Once home, she searched the house for her son but couldn’t find him anywhere.
“I went outside and saw that the well was open. When I looked inside, I saw my son floating face down. At first, I thought it was just his clothes, but then I realized it was him, and his shoes were floating nearby. That’s when I screamed for help,” she said, her voice trembling.
The grieving mother added that she had always treated her househelp well, paying her salary on time and even allowing her Saturdays off.
This made Mercy question why the househelp would harm her son despite being treated fairly.
Steve Ogechi, the boy’s father, said that when he arrived home, there was already a crowd gathered around the well.
He checked and found his son floating lifelessly in the water.
“I asked people why they didn’t help him, and they said he was already dead,” Steve said, clearly distraught.
A village elder, Dorcah Nyaboke, advised residents to carefully check the backgrounds of househelps before hiring them.
She also recommended introducing domestic workers to neighbors so they can keep an eye on children’s safety.
