A three-year-old girl has died in Kakamega County, while four of her other siblings are receiving treatment at Matungu sub county hospital after eating a cassava meal suspected to be poisonous.
The five children aged nine, seven, six, four and three years started developing complications after eating the cassava which had been prepared by their mother.
Their grandmother Stellah Shiundu who was also affected by the toxic meal was treated and discharged.
The family of Mr Okiya Kasamani from Chanda village in Khalaba sub-location bought the cassava from a neighbour for Sh30 and boiled it for lunch on Saturday.
At around 3 pm, the five children and their grandmother, Stellah Shiundu started complaining of stomach pains and vomiting.
They took painkillers which did not help them and in the middle of the night, they became critically ill and were rushed to Khalaba health centre before they were transferred to Matungu sub-county hospital.
Ms Dolphin Shiundu, the mother of the children said the six family members were admitted to the hospital at around 3 am.
Her daughter who was on treatment succumbed while receiving treatment.
“I was called by my brother Dennis Shiundu informing me that the children and our mother had fallen sick after eating cassava and had been rushed to Matungu hospital. I went to the hospital to find out what had happened. On arrival, I found my three-year-old daughter in critical condition and she had been out on oxygen support but she, unfortunately, passed on,” said Ms Shiundu.
Other members of the family of eight did not show any sign of illness despite eating the cassava meal.
