Police investigate death of Form One student in school

A police officer at Kisumu Girls High School. Investigations into the death of a Form One student are ongoing. (Collins Oduor, Standard)

Police are investigating the death of a Form One student at Kisumu Girls High School. According to police sources, Anastasia Chepkemoi, 13, died at Kisumu County Hospital where she was rushed after she was found weakened and sluggish by her fellow students as they went for breakfast on Friday morning.

Although the school did not release an official statement on the matter, the Nyanza regional police Commander Vincent Makokha, who was among the first officers to visit the school said she had been on Malaria drugs since the school reopened for second term.

"The school management has told us that the girl had been on the drugs before she came to school but had forgotten her drugs at home. the school, therefore, continued her on the dosage she said had been prescribed," he said.

This claim, he said, was under investigation. He said the girl died at the hospital. County Education officials were also at the school but did not immediately address the media.

Makokha said her parents had been notified of the incident which came amidst growing concerns over the safety of learners in boarding schools.

Last month, another Form One student Cyril Oyungu of Maseno School succumbed to sickle cell anemia. A month earlier, Form Three student at Kangaru School Kennedy Fundi died while receiving treatment at Nairobi Women’s Hospital.

In a statement which followed the death of the Maseno student, the Teachers Service Commission assured panicked parents that the death of students in school was being treated very seriously.