Home / Coast

Family mourns 6-year-old girl who drowned in Mombasa

The family of Ummulkheir Yusuf at the Coast General Teaching and Referral hospital during the autopsy of their kin. (Photo: Farhiya Hussein)

By Farhiya Hussein | 16 Apr 2024

Witnesses said the girl left the swimming pool child area heading to the adult side, slipped into the deep end and drowned.

When Ummulkheir Yusuf left home on Sunday with her sisters for a swimming pool adventure, her family did not know that would be the last time they would see her.

Hours later, they would receive a distress call that their six-year-old daughter's body was found after she drowned at a swimming pool in the Buxton Point Apartments area.

Keep reading

“She left home around 4 pm and together with her sisters they said they were going swimming. They arrived at the gate, paid Sh400 and went about with the activity. But hours later someone called us that she was being rushed to a hospital,” said Jamila Ibrahim, the family's spokesperson.

Upon reaching Mombasa Hospital, the family was informed of their worst fears, their daughter had died.

“We are still in denial as a family. If the swimming pool zone had a lifeguard or a security guard maybe our daughter would still be alive,” said Jamila.

Witnesses said the girl left the swimming pool child area heading to the adult side, slipped into the deep end and drowned.

Ummulkheir Yusuf who died after drowning at a swimming pool in Buxton, Mombasa. (Photo: Farhiya Hussein)

Postmortem

The family requested a postmortem report which was conducted on Monday at the Coast General Teaching and Referral Hospital.

The autopsy findings indicated that the girl died from drowning and did not exhibit any physical harm.

On their side, the Buxton Point offered condolences to the family deeming the incident to be unfortunate.

She was buried on Monday in the Kikowani area within Mvita Sub County.

Mombasa Speaker Aharub Khatri, during his visit to the family, said as a county assembly, they will conduct inspections across the county.

"As the Mombasa County Assembly, we will not take this matter lightly. We will conduct inspections to assess all public swimming pools because when you look at it, people are paying Sh400," he said.

A human rights lobby group, Muslims for Human Rights Organisation (Muhuri) called upon the Mombasa County Government to enforce safety regulations for swimming pool owners, including the presence of lifeguards and the provision of proper safety equipment for both children and adults.

Additionally, parents were reminded to closely supervise their children near water bodies, especially during the ongoing April school holidays.