Father and daughter die, three others hospitalised of suspected food poisoning

A man and his daughter have died in Teso in what police suspect is a case of food poisoning.

The man, Titus Murunga and his three-year-old daughter died on Sunday night in their house at Akibui village in Kakapel location, Teso North subcounty before they could be rushed to hospital.

Three of Murunga’s daughters, were admitted at Kocholya Level Four Hospital the same night with intense stomach pain.

Teso North subcounty police commander David Muange who confirmed the incident told the Star the family may have consumed poisonous food.

He said Murunga and his four daughters, according to multiple accounts from the scene, are said to have eaten beans mixed with unknown leaves.

DCI officers from Teso North have launched investigations to establish the plant from which the leaves may have been plucked from.

Three of the girls are triplets aged three years. One died alongside his father.

The bodies of the deceased had white foam oozing from the nose and mouth.

Muange called on members of the public to stop speculating what may have caused the death of the two until a postmortem is done to establish the exact cause of their death.

The two bodies lay in the house until 10 am when police ferried them to the Kocholya Level Four Hospital mortuary where the postmortem will be conducted.

By the time the Star filed this story, two of the girls who had been admitted to hospital had been discharged since their condition had stabilised. One girl remains admitted although in stable condition.

Murunga’s wife, by press time, was still on the run and her whereabouts unknown.

Muange said the woman may have escaped for fear of being attacked by Murunga’s relatives and neighbours.

Police investigating the incident are yet to establish why she did not fall victim in the incident that claimed the life of her husband and daughter.

A village elder Robert Epale said the couple had occasional fights in the house.

He, however, said the quarrels were not intense for anyone to suspect that the lady may be the one behind the incident.

One of the children discharged, the eldest, is seven years. The other three are triplets aged three.

Muange called on residentsto stop issuing threats to Murunga’s wife and allow her avails herself to the police to explain what may have happened.

The subcounty police commander said a woman who has been identified as Lydia Chepkwemoi had visited the Akichelesit GSU camp on Sunday at about 11pm seeking for a vehicle to ferry a family member to hospital.

Vehicles at the camp were, however, out on routine patrol.

Epale said those who were rushed to hospital were ferried by the deceased brother at about 5 am on Monday after the demise of Murunga and his daughter.

There was a somber mood at the scene as neighbours and relative sought to unravel what may have happened to the family that lived in a house in a rocky environ surrounded by thickets.

Neighbours said Murunga was a loving man who tirelessly worked to provide for his family. Murunga was a farmer.