Nairobi, January 22- A Kenyan family based in Waterloo, Iowa, in the United States is mourning the loss of their three children following a tragic road accident that occurred while they were on holiday in Kenya.
The fatal crash happened on January 4, 2026, along a highway near Nairobi, abruptly cutting short what had been meant to be a joyful family vacation. The accident claimed the lives of siblings Emmanuel DeLeon and Kairu Winkelpleck at the scene.
Emmanuel DeLeon was 13 years old and an eighth-grade student at Hoover Middle School, while Kairu Winkelpleck was a first-grader at Royal Legacy Christian Academy. Their elder sister, Njeri DeLeon, who was 16, sustained critical injuries and was rushed to hospital, where she was placed in a medically induced coma.
After battling for her life for several days, Njeri succumbed to her injuries on Friday, deepening the family’s grief and bringing the death toll to three.
Just three months before her passing, Njeri had been featured in her school’s online publication, The Wahawk Insider, where she was recognised for her role in cheerleading. Her death, alongside that of her younger siblings, has sent shockwaves through both the Kenyan and diaspora communities.
The tragedy has sparked an outpouring of condolences online, with many expressing sympathy for the family as they navigate an unimaginable loss far from home.
