– The family of Ishael "Jose" Ouma can finally breathe a sigh of relief after successfully securing the release of their son's body from Ahero Sub-County Mortuary, where it had been held for weeks over an unpaid hospital and mortuary bill.

The eight-year-old’s body had remained in the morgue since his untimely death on June 19, due to a KSh 75,000 bill the family was unable to raise in time.

Speaking to , his father, Samuel Arodi, made emotional public pleas for financial help to bury his son, whose health had taken a mysterious and devastating turn earlier in the year.

Arodi shared the itinerary, noting that the body left Ahero Sub-County Mortuary on Monday, June 7, at 1:30 pm, and was taken to the SDA church in Nyakach for a memorial mass.

It proceeded to their homestead for an overnight vigil, with the burial scheduled for Tuesday, July 8.

The burial ceremony commenced at 10 am as family, friends, and members of the community celebrated the young boy's short but impactful life.

The family's ordeal began on February 15, when Ishael suddenly developed facial distortion and experienced sharp spinal pain.

His condition deteriorated rapidly as he lost coordination, developed slurred speech, and required a head scan as part of urgent medical intervention.

He was first taken to a private hospital and later admitted to St Elizabeth Chiga Hospital, where he showed slight improvement.

However, that reprieve was short-lived. By March 20, his symptoms worsened, and he was transferred to Nyakach County Hospital after presenting with persistent headaches, vomiting, and severe fatigue.

Doctors discharged him four days later on pain medicine, but his condition spiralled again just a week after discharge.

Despite frantic hospital visits and attempts to manage the illness, the young boy passed away in his sleep on the night of June 19, 2025.

The grieving father described the last few months as a nightmare and expressed deep sorrow at being unable to give his son a timely and dignified burial due to financial constraints.

"I was never prepared for this, and as you know, the longer he's in the mortuary, the more the bill will increase. Please help me out," Arodi said during an earlier appeal.

His appeal, shared on , struck a chord with many, prompting friends, community members, and well-wishers to step in and help clear the medical and mortuary fees.

The family has since expressed gratitude to all those who came through in their time of need.

As the community gathered in Nyakach to bid farewell to young Jose, the ceremony not only served as a burial but also as a testament to the power of unity, compassion, and the human spirit in times of grief.

Source: TUKO.co.ke