More details have emerged regarding the tragic road accident near Gilgil that led to the deaths of three siblings who were traveling with their mother and stepfather during a family visit to Kenya.
According to relatives, the family had traveled from the United States to Kenya in December for the holidays. Ms. Wangui, who is based in Iowa, frequently visited Kenya to spend time with her children and to support a children’s home in Bungoma, a cause she had been involved in for years.
On Sunday, January 4, the family, Ms. Wangui, her husband (the children’s stepfather), and the three children, hired a public service vehicle (PSV) to travel from Bungoma toward Nairobi, ahead of their scheduled return to the US on January 7.
Ms. Wangui and her husband were seated directly behind the driver, while the children were seated at the rear of the vehicle. The accident occurred close to midnight near Gilgil, when a trailer that was overtaking another vehicle veered into their lane, nearly causing a head-on collision.
In an attempt to avoid the impact, the PSV driver swerved off the road. However, the trailer struck the middle section of the vehicle, causing it to roll. One of the children, Emmanuel, who was to turn 14 years old in March, died instantly at the scene.
His siblings, Kairo, who was to turn seven in May, and Njeri, who was to turn 17 in March, sustained severe head injuries. Kairo was rushed to Nakuru Women’s Hospital, where he was placed on life support.
Despite doctors’ efforts to resuscitate him, he later succumbed to his injuries. Njeri was transferred to Nairobi Hospital the following morning. She underwent two surgeries, the second lasting approximately seven hours.
Doctors reported significant swelling in her brain and placed her in an induced coma to stabilize her condition. She passed away several days later. All three children died within a span of 12 days.
Burial arrangements for the two boys were initially postponed as the family focused on Njeri’s treatment. Following her death, the family held consultations and decided to cremate all three children.
The children’s biological father, Mr. Darwin DeLeon, traveled to Kenya shortly after the accident and joined the family in laying the children to rest. Ms Wangui’s first two children; Njeri and Emmanuel, were sired in her first marriage with Darwin DeLeon.
Her lastborn, Kairo, was born from her second marriage with Christopher Winkelpleck, who was with them in the van. Ms. Wangui lost all her children during a visit that was meant to support other vulnerable children
