Tears after baby dies on first day at care centre

Police in Nairobi are investigating the death of a baby at a daycare.

The mother, Linda Odote, said she is yet to understand what happened to the two-and-a-half month-old boy on his first day at the facility in Tassia estate on Monday.

"I got a new job and I was directed to report on Monday in Athi River and my house help was aware, but she chose not to pick calls that morning until I ran late," she said.

"I wanted to direct her to pick the baby from the centre once she called back, but she never did."

The woman said she suspected all was not well when she didn't get phone calls from the caregiver as expected because the baby was new.

"I did not receive any call from the head of the centre and I assumed that my son had immediately gotten used to his new environment," she said.

Embakasi OCDP Masai Makau said investigation into the death of Tawi Dumisami was on.

"We are on the matter and we shall unearth what happened because no one dies without a reason. We have good leads to ascertain the cause of death," he said.

According to a private facility where the child was first taken at about 4pm, the person in charge of the daycare centre said the baby was given milk during lunch hour and slept but never woke up.

But Ms Linda said she did not understand why the centre did not contact her.

"I called them for the first time at 6.18pm when I left work. That is when the head of the centre broke the news to me," she said.

Ms Linda then alighted from matatu and took a boda boda to the centre and then hospital.

"When I walked in and saw my only baby, I was broken into pieces. When I touched him, he was already cold."