A family in Obunga slums, Kisumu County was left in shock after an 11-year-old boy took his own life on Sunday.
According to media sources, the boy hanged himself using his father’s belt after being excluded from a routine trip to the market.
The boy’s parents, Peter Omondi and Grace Atieno, said they had left their son at home to watch over his sibling.
“You know children if they hear you want to go somewhere, they all want to go with you, so we told him to remain, he will join us the next day,” said Omondi.
He said he never thought something would happen after turning down his son’s request.
Omondi told reporters that while at the market near Moi Stadium a neighbor called him asking him to rush back home where he found the lifeless body of his son lying on a chair in the living room.
“I got a call once I had arrived at the market, I came and found my son lying on the chair, dead,” he said.
The boy’s mother added that she was told by her younger child that the deceased hanged himself using his dad’s belt.
“My son wanted to accompany me, but I told him he had not bathed, and I promised to tag him along next time,” said Atieno.
Police officers moved the body of the deceased to Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital Mortuary for postmortem examination as investigations kicked off.
