- Six-year-old Shantel Nekesa from Sagana, Kirinyaga County, went missing on Monday, May 18
- CCTV footage captured her final moments before she disappeared, showing her walking hand-in-hand with an unknown man
- The owner of the shop they visited before walking away shared what the man bought and why she did not raise an alarm
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A family in Sagana, Kirinyaga county, is searching for their six-year-old daughter, Shantel Nekesa, who disappeared after leaving school on Monday, May 18.
Source: Youtube
CCTV footage obtained from a roadside shop captured her final moments before she went missing.
Shantel is seen in the clip walking alongside an unknown man in her village centre shortly after exiting the school compound.
Who was Shantel seen with on CCTV before she disappeared?
At around 6.16pm, she is seen holding the man’s hand as they head to a shop, where he buys cakes before walking away with the minor.
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He holds her hand firmly and leads the way as they leave the shop, with no alarm raised. The shop owner, Madeline Njoki, said she did not notice anything unusual at the time and continued with her work.
“I didn’t recognise the man, and he was fully covered on the face. He later headed towards the upper road,” said Njoki.
A week later, the family is still searching for Shantel and pleading for help to bring her home safely.
Her mother, Cynthia Wambui, said the day began normally as she prepared her daughter for school, not knowing it would be the last time she saw her.
“I went to the hospital because my youngest child was sick. I later received a call that Shantel had been seen with a man no one knew. When he was asked where he was taking the child, he said he was going to buy her a book,” said Wambui.
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How many children have been reported missing since January?
Community members have joined the search efforts, calling on parents to be more vigilant as cases of missing children continue to rise.
According to the Ministry of Gender, Culture and Children’s Services, 10,581 children were reported missing between January 2025 and March 2026.
Out of these, 6,820 were cases of abandonment, 1,952 were abduction cases, while 173 involved child trafficking.
Netizens react to rising cases of missing children
Eveleen Mitei:
“Every missing child case demands urgent action, coordinated investigations and heightened public vigilance, because the safety of children is a responsibility shared by the entire society.”
Simon Kinyanjui:
“Mtoto hajapotea. Ni babake Wanjala mwenye walizaa na Wambui ametoka Western akaenda hadi Murima kuchukua mtoto wake Shantel Nekesa. That’s my take anyway. And if that’s the case, nampongeza sana huyo baba because unlike a typical bad person mwenye ni kuzalisha tu na kuondokea, he’s a responsible dad.”
Pierre Peter:
“Children who are already in school should be taught about strangers by their teachers and parents as well. They shouldn’t accept gifts and should shout in case anyone holds their hands. That will actually help. The girl seems so comfortable with the guy as if she knows him.”
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Source: NGBREAKINGNEWS
