Outrage as Disabled Child Found Chained for 7 Years, Fed Like a Dog

Meru County has been put under the national spotlight after alarming reports emerged that a disabled child was kept in a pen and chained for seven years.

According to accounts emerging from the family, the boy’s mother died seven years ago, leaving behind an autistic child whom his elderly grandparents then took in.

Due to their poverty and lack of social support systems, they decided to isolate the child to ensure that he did not interfere with their daily activities.

The issue came to light when a video of the child living in bad and unbearable conditions emerged and went viral on social media platforms.

The video elicited a great deal of condemnation from Kenyans, who called on the government to address the issue with urgency.

Family’s Explanation and Community Reaction

The family is now under scrutiny after it emerged that they had confined their autistic grandchild in a small shelter without necessities.

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The boy’s grandfather admitted that the child had been chained for seven years following his mother’s death, arguing that the family feared he might damage property due to his condition.

“Their daughter died seven years ago and left them with an autistic child. To ensure the innocent kid doesn’t interfere with their daily life, they decided to build a dog house for the boy. The boy has been chained there for the last 7 years,” X user @GhettoRadio stated, summarizing the family’s justification.

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Calls for Accountability and Intervention

The incident was quickly condemned by human rights activists and leaders.

In a statement, Geoffrey Mosiria said, “SO SAD! I call upon the relevant officers and child protection agencies to urgently intervene and ensure this child gets justice and proper protection. Locking a child in a cage for seven years is inhumane, cruel, and completely unacceptable.”

Mosiria further explained that disability cannot justify abuse, adding: “If the child has behavioral challenges, there are professional, humane, and lawful ways to handle such cases through medical care, counseling, and social support, not through torture and abuse.”

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Meru Governor Mutuma M’Ethingia speaking at past event. PHOTO/Mutuma FB