Four babies lost: The heartbreaking turn in Juja quintuplet story

What began as a remarkable story of a mother delivering five babies through normal delivery has turned into tragedy for a Juja family.

Mercy Kanini has lost four of her five newborns after the premature babies were transferred from Thika Level Five Hospital to Kenyatta National Hospital for specialised neonatal care.

The deaths came shortly after Kanini delivered the quintuplets in what had initially been celebrated as an exceptionally rare birth.

The babies were born with very low birth weights and required more specialised care than could be provided at the initial facility.

“They needed more special care at Kenyatta National Hospital. Their weight was too small. They needed specialised ICU for newborns,” a healthcare official said.

From four babies expected to five

Kanini, a mother from Juja, had expected four babies during her pregnancy.

Instead, she delivered five — four girls and a boy — at Thika Level Five Hospital.

The delivery itself was unusual.

When Kanini arrived at the hospital, one of the babies was already beginning to emerge. Medical staff initially prepared her for a Caesarean section for the remaining babies.

After further assessment, doctors determined that she could continue with a normal delivery.

She eventually delivered all five babies without surgery.

“After some time, I don't know what happened, they said I could deliver normally. I was very happy on learning that I had delivered five babies,” Kanini said after the delivery.

She also praised the medical team for the care she received.

“I was not afraid, the way I have been attended to has made me happy,” she said.

At the time, the babies were placed in the hospital nursery for medical attention.

The fifth baby came as a surprise

The family had prepared for four children.

The arrival of a fifth baby caught both the couple and those around them by surprise.

Kanini's husband, Evans Nyamhanga, described the development as a blessing.

“I was expecting four babies but God has been a God of miracles, we have got five,” he said.

The quintuplets were Kanini's third delivery. She already has a boy and a girl.

But alongside the joy was an immediate concern: how the family would cope with the medical and financial demands of caring for five newborns.

Nyamhanga appealed to Kiambu Governor Kimani Wamatangi and other well-wishers for assistance.

The governor had provided an ambulance to support the family, according to reports following the birth.

A fragile start for extremely premature babies

The babies were reported to have weighed between 630 and 800 grammes.

That placed them in the extremely low birth-weight category and left them particularly vulnerable.

Premature babies can face serious difficulties with breathing, feeding, temperature control and infections because their organs are still developing.

The World Health Organisation says babies born very early or with very low birth weight require specialised care and close monitoring, particularly in the first days and weeks of life.

The five babies were therefore transferred to KNH, where they could access higher-level neonatal care.

Four have since died.

The condition of the surviving baby has not been publicly detailed in the reports available so far.

A rare birth now marked by loss

The birth had been hailed as one of only a small number of quintuplet deliveries recorded in Kenya.

Kiambu Governor Kimani Wamatangi also praised the healthcare workers involved, describing the delivery as a rare achievement.

But the subsequent deaths underline the difficult reality behind multiple births.

Quintuplet pregnancies carry significant risks, and premature delivery is common. Even when babies survive the delivery itself, the days that follow can be critical.

For Kanini and her family, the story has therefore changed dramatically in a matter of days.

What began with the surprise of discovering a fifth baby has ended in the loss of four newborns.

The family is now left grieving four children while hoping for the survival and recovery of the remaining baby.

As the family comes to terms with the loss, there has been no publicly confirmed medical explanation for the individual deaths. Any claim about a specific cause would therefore be premature without a statement from KNH or the treating doctors.

About the Author

Maureen Onyango is a journalist passionate about storytelling, life coaching and spiritual lessons. She studied at the Kenya Institute of Management and enjoys telling stories that inform, inspire and empower communities.