Ugunja: One-and-a-half-year-old baby burnt in grandmother's home

In Ugunja sub-county a grandmother is mourning her grandchild.

One-and-a-half-year-old baby, Jayden Otieno, suffered fatal burns beyond recognition.

His grandmother’s house in Murumba village, Uhuyi sub-location, Ugunja sub-county, caught fire.

Siaya County Police Commander Cleti Kimaiyo reported that baby Jayden was sleeping in the sitting room when the fire erupted.

As outlined by Kimaiyo, preliminary investigations indicate that a passerby named Leonida Atieno noticed smoke billowing from the house belonging to the 93-year-old granny.

Ugunja resident, Atieno promptly raised an alarm, prompting neighbours to rush to the scene.

Despite their attempts to extinguish the fire, it had already consumed a part of the house, sadly burning the infant beyond recognition.

The cause of the fire has not been determined.

However, suspicions arise that the visually impaired grandmother might have accidentally ignited the blaze by lighting a cigarette inside the house.

While the baby faced a devastating fate, the elderly grandmother was successfully rescued from the engulfing flames.

Kimaiyo disclosed that inside the burnt house, investigators discovered several used matchsticks and cigarette filters, leading them to initiate a thorough inquiry into the incident.

As the investigation unfolds, authorities are working to ascertain the exact cause of the fire and determine any preventive measures that could have averted this tragic incident.

The community, grappling with the loss of a young life, awaits further details from the ongoing investigation.