Two boys aged 16 and 17 from Rutara in Mirangine Sub County, Nyandarua, and who are six days post circumcision are recovering at J.M.Memorial Hospital, Ol kalou after they were forced to consume hydrogen peroxide by unknown person.
Winnie Wakarima, the nursing officer in charge at J.M.Hospital on Sunday evening said the two were received at the facility at 5: 00 pm Sunday, unconscious.
“They had a history of having been given poison-hydrogen peroxide-by a person unknown to them who also assaulted them. He slapped them and ran away after they lost balance”, she said
The culprit is said to have ran away after the victims started vomiting. A brother to one of them smelt the chemical as he was passing nearby the house they were in, and upon checking he found them unconscious hence alerted their caretaker who took them to hospital where they were treated and admitted for observation.
“We gave them first aid, resuscitated them, and then gave them drugs and IV fluids as they had vomited. We have now admitted them for observation. They are under stable condition but one is still confused”, Wakarima said
The boys care takers declined to talk to journalists. However, one Mukurinu adherent identified only as Mwangi, who accompanied them, and who claimed to be the boys neighbour denied that they were forced to take hydrogen peroxide by unknown person.
Mwangi said the compound where they live is secure and no stranger can get access without being noticed as there is a perimeter wall and around the clock security. Their care takers, he said locked the house they are living inn any time they left.
He said they were given the chemical by a local well known to them but it was not deliberate. The culprit, he said, had been sent to get shrine water for the boys but instead he confused and took the container containing the chemical.
He said the person who gave them hydrogen peroxide got worried and confused after discovering he gave them the chemical used to clean milk cylinders. “We gave them milk which made them vomit. We could decide to bring them to hospital instead of calling the doctor who circumcised them since we did not know if the chemical is dangerous”, he said
Mwangi said the two cannot speak the truth as they having been having hallucinations for over a week where they have been saying they are attacked by evil spirits.
-Ndichu Wainaina