A family in Kisii County is seeking answers following the tragic death of 22-year-old medical intern Hezron Macharia, who reportedly drowned in a hotel swimming pool on Madaraka Day.
Macharia, who was undertaking his medical internship at a hospital in Keumbu, had reportedly visited Village Park Hotel to relax before the incident that has since left his family, friends and colleagues in shock.
Footage that has since emerged online shows the moments after the young medic was discovered unconscious in the swimming pool.
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In the video, a group of youths is seen pulling his body from the water and placing him beside the pool as concerned onlookers gather around.
The footage has sparked widespread debate and raised questions about the circumstances surrounding his death.
Reports indicate that no first aid or cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) was administered immediately after he was removed from the water, a detail that has drawn criticism from members of the public.
Macharia’s family has expressed doubts about the official account of events and is calling for a thorough investigation into the incident.
Speaking to Citizen TV, his mother, Cecilia Macharia, questioned information reportedly provided by the hotel management regarding her son’s condition when he was retrieved from the pool.
“They said he was under the water for 20 minutes. When he was taken out, there was foam and blood coming from him,” she said.
The grieving mother has demanded the release of CCTV footage from the hotel to help establish exactly what transpired before her son was found unresponsive.
His father, Josephat Macharia, also cast doubt on claims that his son drowned, arguing that the swimming pool was not deep enough to cause such a tragedy.
“No one can die in that swimming pool. Even if you dropped a chicken in it, it would not drown,” he said.
According to reports, Macharia may have remained underwater for more than 30 minutes before he was discovered and removed from the pool.
The claims have intensified calls for clarity regarding the events leading to his death.
The young medic was reportedly preparing to graduate in September 2026, making the loss even more painful for his family and colleagues who had looked forward to celebrating a major milestone in his life.
Kisii Central Police Commander Musa Omari confirmed that investigations into the incident are underway.
“We will conduct a post-mortem examination to determine whether he died as a result of drowning or something else,” Omari said.
As investigators work to establish the cause of death, the case has attracted significant public attention, with many Kenyans expressing their condolences and raising concerns over the apparent lack of emergency response measures at the scene.
Others have questioned whether lifeguards or trained personnel were present at the facility and why CPR was not immediately administered after the intern was pulled from the water.
The post-mortem examination is expected to provide crucial answers regarding the cause of death and help investigators determine whether foul play was involved.
For now, Macharia’s family continues to mourn the loss of a promising young medical professional while awaiting answers about the circumstances that led to his untimely death.