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6-month-old in a coma from injuries during police raid


A 6-month-old infant has slipped into a coma after sustaining head injuries during the police raids in Nyalenda slum, Kisumu County.

The infant, Samantha Pendo suffered head injuries early on Saturday morning when police raided houses in Nyalenda slum during violnents by some of the residents over the presidential election results.

Speaking to the press at Aga Khan Hospital, Kisumu the infant’s mother, Lancer Achieng’ said that the police broke into her house when they were asleep.

“It started at 1 am when police stormed our house and beat me on the legs and arms. I was carrying the baby in my arms and they hit her with a club on the head,” said Ms Achieng’.

She said that they later turned to her husband and hit him on the head, hands and private parts.

“When the police left we took the baby to Oasis Hospital in Nyalenda but they could not handle her case. We therefore rushed her to Aga Khan Hospital,” said Ms Achieng’.

ADMITTED

Aga Khan Hospital Medical Superintendent Sam Oula said that the infant is admitted at the hospital ICU in critical condition.

“There were small pockets of bleeding inside the brain that have led the child to sleep into a coma. The baby sustained serious head injuries that led to internal bleeding. She is still under observation,” said Dr Oula.

The infant’s father, Joseph Abanja, told the Nation that the anti-riot police had threaten to break into the house and shoot them.

“They kept chanting that they would shoot us if we didn’t allow them in. Finally they lobbed teargas canisters into the house, beat my wife and my two children,” said Mr Abanja.

The 34-year-old father was admitted to hospital on Sunday morning with swollen arms and head injuries at Jaramogi Odinga Oginga Teaching and Referral Hospital.