Pumwani Maternity Hospital, previously known for incidents involving stolen newborns, is once again embroiled in controversy following the disappearance of a seven-year-old girl while under the care of its staff.
The troubling incident began when Simon Chege and his wife, Judy Wanjiru, took their daughter to Pumwani Hospital in Nairobi on February 17 for a medical check-up.
The young girl had been experiencing pain during urination, prompting her parents to seek medical help.
After undergoing a urine test at the hospital, the situation took a disturbing turn. While Chege waited for the results, his wife and daughter emerged from the laboratory visibly distressed and crying.
When Chege questioned the situation, the medical staff responded aggressively. Moments later, a police officer from the nearby California Police Station arrived, handcuffed Chege without explanation, and took him into custody.
Amid the chaos, Chege’s wife lost hold of their daughter, who was then taken by unidentified individuals from the hospital.
“The officer asked me if I had defiled my daughter. I was shocked and asked where those allegations were coming from, but he ignored me and handcuffed me,” Chege recalled.
Chege was detained at the local police station and later transferred to Shauri Moyo Police Station that evening. He was released on February 20 without facing any charges. However, when he asked about his daughter’s whereabouts, he was directed to a local Children’s Welfare office.
Her parents during the interview.
On February 21, Chege and Wanjiru visited the welfare office, where an officer named Lynette Itumo confirmed their daughter was in custody but refused to offer any further explanation.
Itumo told the parents the child would be returned in two weeks. Despite this, more than a month later, the couple has still not been reunited with their daughter.
Efforts to reach the welfare officer and the hospital have gone unanswered. Pumwani Hospital has not provided any clarification regarding why the child was handed over to authorities without a clear justification.
“The medics at Pumwani have not shared the results of the supposed test, nor have they explained why I was detained without being taken to court, or why they took our daughter. We are suffering,” Chege said.
Concerned for their daughter’s safety, the couple has reached out to the Directorate of Children’s Services and the Nairobi County Government, which oversees the hospital, seeking urgent intervention.
