18-Year-Old Student Found Alive After More Than a Month Missing

Mwea, Kirinyaga County, Kenya — September 24, 2026

An 18-year-old Kenyan student who disappeared more than a month ago has been found alive, bringing an end to weeks of uncertainty for her family.

A Month-Long Search

Silvia Nyakio, a Form Four student at Kerugoya Girls High School, disappeared on August 15, shortly before she was due to return to school to prepare for her final examinations.

Her family spent weeks searching for her and repeatedly appealed for information about her whereabouts. The disappearance was reported to police after the family failed to locate her.

Recognised From a Photograph

Nyakio was found on Tuesday night near Kiamathatwa village in Mwea, Kirinyaga County, after a local woman recognised her from a photograph circulated by the family.

Nyakio’s mother, Millicent Mumbi, had been searching along the Kagio-Kutus road when she stopped at a food stall in the Spenser area and showed people there a photograph of her daughter.

One woman told Mumbi that a girl matching Nyakio’s description had recently come to her home asking for food. She had allowed the girl to stay while trying to understand where she belonged.

Mumbi rushed to the woman’s home and found her daughter alive.

“Mum, I Want to Go to School”

According to her mother, Nyakio appeared weak and had lost significant weight during the time she was missing. She also appeared confused about what had happened and said she had repeatedly tried to find her way home.

After being reunited with her mother, Nyakio repeatedly asked to return to school.

Her mother said Nyakio kept telling her, “Mum, I want to go to school.”

Nyakio was taken to hospital for medical assessment and treatment following her recovery. Police also asked her mother to provide a statement as authorities continued investigating the circumstances surrounding the disappearance.

A Family Still Waiting for Answers

The circumstances surrounding Nyakio’s disappearance and what happened during the more than one month she was away remain unclear.

Before she disappeared, her family described her as quiet and disciplined. She had been attending holiday tuition ahead of her return to Kerugoya Girls High School, where she was expected to sit her final examinations.

Her grandmother said Nyakio had hoped to become a teacher.

For her family, the search has ended with the news they had been hoping for: Nyakio is alive and back with them. Her family is now waiting for further medical assessment while police investigate what happened during her disappearance.

Sources

• Citizen Digital — “Missing Form Four student found alive after more than a month”
• Citizen Digital, published September 24, 2026