Emotional Homecoming: Boy Missing for 14 Years Reunites with Family in Kisumu

After 14 years of uncertainty and heartbreak, a family in Kisumu is celebrating the miraculous return of their lost son, Jacob Odhiambo. Now 19 years old, Jacob had disappeared from their Kibera home in 2011 at the age of five, triggering years of relentless searching by his parents, David Okiki and Lillian Atieno.

Jacob’s journey took him from Nairobi to Migori, then finally to Kisumu, where he lived under the care of St Philip’s Neri Children’s Home after being rescued and later abandoned again. It was at the children’s home that a family member recently recognized him in a shared photograph, sparking the emotional reunion.

Overwhelmed with joy, Jacob embraced his parents, siblings, and extended family members during the tearful homecoming. His father, David, expressed immense gratitude to everyone who supported Jacob over the years, particularly the caregivers at St Philip’s.

Now a Form Three student at Lion’s High School in Kisumu, Jacob is focused on completing his education with the backing of his newly reunited family. Authorities praised the perseverance and hope that made the extraordinary reunion possible.