25/02/2025
As shared by Tsheri Mwongera
Pupil's Name: Shawn Victor Were
Mother's Name: Irene Karimi
Father's Name: Moses Ochieng
Shawn Victor Were, a 10-year-old Grade 5 pupil at Red Hill Baraka School in Gachie, left for school on the morning of Friday, February 21, 2025, as usual.
In the afternoon, at 2:48 pm, Shawn's mother received a call from the school informing her that her son was unwell and speaking incoherently. Panicked, she immediately contacted the school’s director, asking why her son couldn’t be taken to the hospital. The director informed her that there was no available vehicle to transport him. Concerned, she, along with Shawn's father and a neighbor, rushed to the school to understand what was happening.
Upon arrival, they found Shawn lying on a mattress, surrounded by teachers, looking very unwell. However, they offered no explanation as to why he had become incoherent or how his condition had worsened.
In a state of alarm, they quickly transported him to Life-Care Hospital in Kikuyu, where doctors attempted to resuscitate him. However, it was discovered that the initial oxygen equipment was faulty, and after switching tanks multiple times, the doctors determined that Shawn was no longer breathing. They attempted to use defibrillators, but during the process, Shawn began vomiting undigested food—rice and watermelon, which had not been properly chewed.
The mother called the school to ask if Shawn had been given rice and watermelon, but the teacher initially denied it. However, one teacher later admitted to giving Shawn watermelon in an attempt to revive him. Unfortunately, it was too late, and Shawn passed away.
When the father asked the doctor for an explanation, he learned that Shawn had likely suffered a convulsion. While in the midst of this medical emergency, he had been fed rice and watermelon, which caused him to choke and block his airway.
Further investigation revealed that the teachers had not fully disclosed the events to the parents. Shawn's twin sister, Vicky, who was also in the same class, explained what had happened. That day, the pupils were supposed to have swimming lessons, but Shawn's parents had opted out, as their younger daughter was sick with the flu. As a result, Shawn, along with some other children, remained in the classroom.
The teacher had given Shawn the responsibility of monitoring the noisy students in the classroom. When the teacher returned and heard noise, he punished six boys, including Shawn, despite Shawn explaining that he wasn’t one of the noisemakers and even had a list of the students who had been noisy. The teacher, Mr. Austin, ignored Shawn's explanation and insisted on punishing him. The punishment was running cross-country.
Despite Shawn's attempts to explain, the teacher proceeded. While running, Shawn collapsed and began convulsing. When the other children returned to school, Vicky asked where her brother was. She was told that Shawn had been left behind, convulsing with foam coming from his mouth. Moments later, two teachers arrived, carrying Shawn back to the school. One teacher, Mr. Walter, later claimed that he had given Shawn watermelon, hoping it would help him recover.
After Shawn's death, the mother confronted the school about the food, as it was clear that he had been fed rice and watermelon while in the middle of a convulsion, which led to him choking. The school had failed to take immediate action or provide proper care when Shawn began convulsing. By the time his parents arrived, his oxygen levels had dropped significantly, leading to his incoherence and eventual death.
When the mother informed the school of Shawn's passing, the response was shockingly indifferent. The school sent a van full of teachers to the hospital, the same vehicles that had been unavailable to take Shawn to the hospital earlier. They offered no real explanation or apology. One teacher casually remarked, "It is done, Mama Shawn," and then asked what the plans were for taking Sean’s body to the morgue.
Despite having previously claimed that no vehicles were available to transport Shawn to the hospital, the school now offered to assist with taking his body to the morgue. The family, understandably, rejected the offer.
We demand answers. Why was Shawn punished with cross-country running when he was pleading his innocence? Why was food given to a child who was convulsing? Why was there no basic first aid or medical intervention, despite a hospital being nearby? How can a school not have trained staff to handle medical emergencies?
This tragedy is not just about Shawn; it is about the safety and well-being of all children at the school. The school’s negligence and failure to provide basic care has cost us our child, and we seek justice. We also call on the Ministry of Education to ensure that schools are equipped with properly trained personnel to respond to medical emergencies and to enforce better protocols for student safety.
Rest in peace my nephew Shawn
😭😭😭😭
