Three Children Missing for Four Days Say They Slept Under Trees

Three children from Ekondjo village in Kavango West, who went missing four days ago, were found safe and unharmed on Thursday.

The children, 8-year-old Titus Musenge, 4-year-old Victoria Kapango Haironga, and 3-year-old Chinkanda Petrus Haironga, had left their home on February 23 to tend to goats. However, they got lost after heavy rain hit the area.

Despite days of searching by the police, the children remained missing. On Thursday, February 27, the search was expanded with the help of the Namibian Defence Force, the children’s family, and local community members, covering an area 60 km from where the children were last seen.

The children were eventually discovered by two farm workers at Kutjimpuka Farm, about 56 km from Ekondjo village. These workers, who were part of the search team, immediately alerted the police.

The children shared that they had spent the past few days sleeping in the bush, walking every day, and taking shelter under trees at night. They survived by drinking rainwater, as they had no food. Although they were afraid of wild animals, they were unharmed.

The children were safely reunited with their parents and taken to the hospital for a check-up.