A seven-year-old boy is currently hospitalized in critical condition in Kisumu after being allegedly assaulted by his stepfather for refusing to call him “Dad.”
The suspect, identified as 29-year-old Stephen Odhiambo, was arrested after he brought the injured boy to Kombewa Sub-County Hospital for treatment on Friday, September 13, 2024.
Odhiambo is accused of attacking the boy while the child’s mother was away at a hospital caring for her younger child. According to the mother, the stepfather had a history of mistreating her three children, despite agreeing to accept them as his own when they married three months ago.
“When I first moved in with my two children, my husband seemed fine with it and even asked me to bring my eldest child too. However, in July, he started beating the boy frequently, and later extended the abuse to the younger ones,” the mother revealed.
She learned about the assault while at the hospital, where news of a man being arrested for severely beating a child spread. “When I looked through the window, I saw it was my son. That night, I cried non-stop. He had injuries all over his body,” she added.
Medical reports confirmed the boy had sustained multiple injuries from the beating. Neighbors reported that the violence occurred shortly after the children’s mother left for the hospital, leaving her children in Odhiambo’s care.
On Tuesday, Odhiambo appeared before the Maseno Magistrate’s Court, where he faced charges of child cruelty and causing harm, contrary to Section 162(1)(A) of the Children’s Act No. 29 of 2022. He denied the charges and was granted a Ksh 20,000 cash bail. However, he was unable to raise the amount and was remanded at Kodiaga Maximum Prison.
The child has since been rescued by a local charity, Compassionate Centre for Families (CCF), which stepped in to ensure the children’s safety. Sheila Otieno, CCF’s Executive Director, said the organization is working with government agencies to protect the children.
“Our priority is the safety of these children. After the boy is discharged, we plan to place the mother and her children in our rescue center for further protection and care,” Otieno stated.
By TaifaLeo