An disheartening accident was witnessed at Koduol ‘B’ village, South East sub location in Ndhiwa constituency of Homa Bay County after a 2- month- old baby boy fell into hot porridge.

The minor, identified as Sheldon Churchill, fell into the porridge at its highest boiling point on a jiko during a confrontation between his mother, Sharon Auma, 19, and about 20 members of a self help group, popularly know as Chama.

Members of the chama are said to have visited Sharon’s home, to demand for Kshs1,700 that she owed them after taking a loan of Kshs2,500.

The 19-year old had only cleared Kshs800 of her debt and at the time of confrontation, she did not have any money with her.

The agitated members pressured the woman to pay her debt lest her 16 Koros of dry maize confiscated to settle the debt. The members tried to break into her bedroom where the dry maize was kept and that is when the confrontations worsened.

Auma tried to prevent them from accessing the bedroom. In the process, she claimed, two women pushed her, making the baby she was carrying fall in the boiling porridge.

The area Assistant Benson Adongo on Saturday confirmed that the baby boy passed away on their way to Homa Bay County Referral Hospital for medication. Citizens have termed this as a sad incident and which needs further investigations. Others have sent their condolences to the family regarding their loss.

The body was moved to Manyatta Kobodo mortuary.