• The 14-year-old had damaged super drum lids belonging to her cousin
• She took neighbours lids for replacement; when asked why, she ran away
Image: COURTESY
Yvonne Atieno Odhiambo ran away from their home in Nasra Gardens estate in Nairobi on October 7.
Since then, her cousin Irene Atieno has been frustrated and anxious as her tireless search for the 14-year-old girl bears no fruit.
Yvonne had been in Nairobi for barely two months after being brought to the city from Mbita.
On the day of her disappearance, Irene had left her home for work and instructed her to clean drums used to store water.
Irene told the Star that her neighbours reported to her that as Yvonne washed the drums, some of their lids got damaged.
Yvonne is a Standard 7 pupil at Kisui Primary School in Mbita.
“Instead of telling me what happened, she decided to go to one of the neighbours to borrow lids but they declined.”
Atieno said the neighbours had insisted Yvonne informs her why she was borrowing the lids.
The following day, Yvonne took the neighbour’s lids without permission so she could replace her cousin's damaged ones. When asked by the neighbour, she fled.
For two weeks now, Irene has searched the entire estate with no success.
She reported the disappearance to Soweto Police stations under OB 14/14/10/2020.
“The police only calls back when someone has been reported to be missing and found. All those I’ve been called to check are not her,” Atieno said.
Yvonne had not made friends in the city yet. She had not gone to any of their relatives in the city, facts that make her decision to run away mysterious. So where else could she be?
At Nasra Gardens estate, Yvonne only used to hang out with a house help in one of the neighbours. But even this house help does not have a clue about Yvonne's whereabouts.
"I've walked around the estate and the neighbourhoods with her photo. There has been no headway," Atieno said.
Atieno says she has called Yvonne's mother back in Mbita to check if the girl might have found her way home.
"Nothing," she said.
If you have a missing person, share your story with us via [email protected]