Student, 15, Allegedly Takes Her Own Life by Drowning

By Raisa Okwaras,

 A 15-year-old Standard Seven student at Ngendaptich Primary School in Nakuru’s Toiyotich Village allegedly took her own life after throwing herself to death in Lake Solai.

The unfortunate incident sent the Toiyotich Village in sadness, characterized by wails and screams.

According to the students, on the morning of the incident, Joy Chepkoech Ng’etich arrived at school at 6 a.m. dressed in civilian clothes. It was not only against the school rules for students to come to school dressed in civilian outfits, but also, Joy had never come this way to school.

As expected, her fellow students were perturbed. The students, therefore, asked her to go back home and change to her school uniform as she lived with her aunt close to the school. She began crying while walking away.

However, a few minutes after her departure, locals called a teacher to inform them that Joy had thrown herself in Lake Solai in Nakuru. According to the Chief of the area Senior Chief Mark Mogotio, the incident was instantaneous, hence shocking everyone.

The banks of Lake Solai had moved up, consuming parts of Ngendaptich Primary School’s playground. This happened after the Rift Valley lakes got swollen last year, with its effects still being felt today.

“We immediately launched an operation to try to save her. We contacted local divers but they were unable to save her. It took seven hours for the body to be discovered stuck in a rock deep within the waters,” said Mr.Mogotio.

When asked for possible reasons that led her to commit the dreaded incident, her uncle Johanna Rotich said that he last saw her the night before the incident. Apparently, Joy prepared supper for the family on Monday night before leaving the home at 8 p.m. and never returned.

The family’s alleged efforts of searching for her bore no fruits. They came to learn about the incident the following morning when the teacher broke the news to them.

Cases of children battling mental health issues have been rampant since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic.

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