A-2 years-10 month - old girl who was on Friday reported missing in Mlolongo, Machakos County has been found alive.
Hepzbah Mumbua was found alive, a day after she was allegedly stolen by a man from her parents’ shop at Mlolongo Phase 3 estate in Mlolongo, Machakos County.
Her father Mutinda Makau said she was found abandoned at a Children’s Home, approximately 600 metres from Mlolongo police station where he reported her theft on Friday.
Athi River East Subcounty police commander Anderson Mbae said the child’s missing report was made to the Mlolongo police station.
“It was reported that the child was stolen by a person posing as a customer at her parent’s shop,” Mbae told the Star on Saturday.
Police said the report was made by the child’s father Mutinda Makau, a resident of Mlolongo Phase 2.
“That his daughter namely Hepzbah Mumbua aged 2 years and 10 months went missing yesterday November 1, 2024, from their shop in Mlolongo Phase 3 area whereby an unknown male posing as a customer was seen taking the said child from outside the shop.”
Makau claimed that her daughter’s kidnappers had been calling him demanding a ransom to release her.
“We found her this morning after she was abandoned at an orphanage by two men. She was taken away by a person who had been demanding a ransom of Sh100,000,” Makau told the Star by phone on Saturday.
“We were talking on phone and today morning the man reduced the ransom demand to Sh50,000 after he called at 4.00 am. He further reduced it to Sh20, 000, then Sh15, 000 and later Sh10, 000. But, DCI detectives attached to Mlolongo police station who were pursuing the matter advised us not to send any money and instead told him to bring the child so that we pay him."
"We were later informed that two men took the child to the home and abandoned her there. We picked her up from the home,” Makau said.
Makau said the girl had a burnt face when she was found.
“She is just two years and ten months hence can’t give details on what transpired,” he said.
Mbae confirmed that the child had been found alive and reunited with the family.
"Please be informed that the child named Hepzbah Mumbua who was circulated to be missing yesterday was today found by a good samaritan along Kuchi road at about 7.00 am and brought to the station. The said juvenile was reunited with the family while in good health," police said.
The incident happened barely a week after a four–year–old girl was found days after she went missing in Mlolongo, Machakos County.
The girl reportedly went missing from their rented house in Mlolongo Phase 3 last Saturday at around 7.00 pm before she was found alive at a house in Kathangaita area within Mlolongo Township on Wednesday.
There were similar claims of Sh100,000 ransom demands by those who had stolen her before she was found.
No arrest was made. But, police said they were pursuing the suspects.
Mbae told parents to be on the lookout as they monitor their
children during this long school holiday.
