A 4-year-old boy was among five children who were arrested and detained by police for theft in Nyeri.
The children were accused of stealing a sack of old tin cans and metal bars from a construction site.
They spent almost 18 hours in a police cell until their parents and guardians went to plead for their release on Monday.
[caption caption="Mr Robert Kariuki Consoles his son at their Home in Naromoru"]
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According to the Nation, two of the children’s parents were also locked up by the police for alleged parental negligence.
Police stated that a private school proprietor, Mr Isaac Kihagi, accused the children of stealing valuable metals from him and personally drove them to Naromoru Police Station.
The mother of the 4-year-old boy revealed that she had gone to run errands in Naromoru town but when she came back she could not trace her son.
“We searched everywhere even in toilets at the school and in neighbours’ homes,” Ms Rose Wangari was quoted by the Nation.
Before she reported the matter to the relevant authorities, Mr Kihagi told her that he had taken the children to the police station.
Wangari rushed to the station in what was a long night of pleading with police to set free the five children.
Kieni East OCPD Michael Mbaluku admitted that the children did not eat throughout the night because by the time they were brought in the other inmates had eaten all the food.
He, however, stated that they were fed in the morning and clarified that they were not booked for stealing but were 'held as special needs' because it was their parent's fault - negligence.
The children were later released and all charges against them were dropped.
[caption caption="Naro Moru Police Station"]
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