Two-Year-Old Boy Dies After Alleged School Bus Accident in Nyeri

A family in Naromoru, Nyeri County, has been left devastated after their two-year-and-nine-month-old son died in an incident reported to have involved a school bus just minutes after arriving at school.

Carlos Brown Mukere, a pupil at Shalom Schools, died on Wednesday morning in the school’s parking area.

His father, Baptista Mukere, said he received a phone call while at work in Mukurweini informing him that his son had suffered an emergency and that he needed to rush to Naromoru Level Four Hospital.

Since he was more than 80 kilometres away, he instructed his wife, Caroline Wambui, to go to the hospital.

Upon arrival, Mrs. Wambui found a school staff member and the school bus parked outside the hospital, but she said no one was willing to explain what had happened.

“After asking several times, the nurses and the school director’s wife informed me that my son had died. It felt like my world had collapsed,” she said.

According to the account allegedly given by the school, Carlos safely got off the school bus and walked behind it. As the driver was reversing, he reportedly failed to see the child and struck him.

The boy was rushed to hospital while still alive but later succumbed to his injuries.

However, police provided a different version of events.

Mrs. Wambui said officers from Naromoru Police Station told her that preliminary investigations indicate the child moved in front of the bus after alighting and was run over by its front wheel.

She further said police informed her that children inside the bus screamed immediately after the accident, but the driver allegedly continued driving into the school compound before stopping.

When she returned to the school’s parking area, Mrs. Wambui found her son’s school bag open, with the snacks she had packed for him still inside.

Kieni East Police Commander David Kabuthia confirmed that the driver had been released on a cash bail of KSh50,000 as investigations continue.

He said police will record statements from the school management, staff members, and other witnesses to establish exactly what happened.

Mr. Kabuthia added that the driver is expected to appear in court on July 11, where he will face a charge of causing death by careless driving.

He also said a post-mortem examination on the child’s body will be conducted to assist with the ongoing investigations.