A three-year-old boy reported missing in Malindi on February 13, 2026, has been rescued at the Hororo border, just as a suspect allegedly attempted to smuggle him out of the country.
Malindi detectives, working closely with their Lunga Lunga counterparts and Tanzanian authorities, arrested 29-year-old Ugandan national Arnold Ethan at the eleventh hour, preventing what could have been a tragic outcome.
The child’s parent, who lives in Malindi Central Area, raised the alarm around 6:00 PM after her son vanished while she was at work. Investigators, using forensic leads, traced the child’s last known movements. Reports indicate that the suspect, who operates a nail parlour near the family’s shop, lured the boy away.
With urgency, detectives launched a coordinated search. In collaboration with Tanzanian officials, they intercepted Arnold Ethan at the Hororo border as he attempted to cross into Tanzania. The boy, found traumatised but safe, and the suspect were handed over to Kenyan border police.
Both were later escorted back to Malindi, where the child was joyfully reunited with his parents and taken to Malindi Sub-County Hospital for a medical check-up. The suspect is now in custody at Malindi Police Station, awaiting arraignment.