Residents of Budhebela Village in Mayuge Town Council, Mayuge District, are in grief following the brutal killing of a six-year-old boy whose body was discovered dumped in an abandoned building after an extensive community search.
The tragic incident came to light on Sunday morning after family members and residents launched a frantic search for the child, who had failed to return home after being sent on an errand.
According to the boy’s mother, Sarah Naigaga, she had asked her son to take a mobile phone to a nearby home for charging. When he did not return as expected, concern quickly grew among family members.
His aunt, Lovisha Namuganza, said the family initially believed the child had simply been delayed, but alarm bells were raised when several hours passed without any communication.
The family later visited the home where the boy had been sent and were informed that he had successfully delivered the phone before leaving shortly afterwards.
As anxiety mounted, relatives, neighbours and friends joined efforts to search for the missing child from around 9 a.m., combing nearby villages and surrounding areas.
The search ended in tragedy when one of the boy’s friends entered an abandoned building in the neighbourhood and made a horrifying discovery.
The child was found dead, his body wrapped in a plastic bag and dumped inside the structure.
“We moved around the village and beyond searching for him together with his friend. After a long search, his friend saw him in the room,” Namuganza said.
The boy’s father, Alex Kayima, rushed to the scene after receiving the alert and confirmed that the body belonged to his son.
Preliminary reports indicate that the child had been strangled before his body was concealed in the abandoned building.
Faruku Musobya, the head of the household where the child had delivered the phone, confirmed that the youngster had arrived safely, completed the errand and left immediately.
“The boy brought the phone and left immediately. During the search, one of the neighbours told us they had heard a scream, but they thought the children were simply playing,” Musobya said.
The gruesome killing has sparked outrage among residents, many of whom blamed abandoned structures in the area for creating hideouts for criminals and endangering the community.
Several residents called on property owners and local authorities to secure, rehabilitate or demolish abandoned buildings to prevent them from becoming breeding grounds for crime.
Budhebela Village LC1 Chairperson Sulsoman Waiswa Kabangala urged parents and guardians to remain vigilant and closely monitor the movements of their children.
He also called for stronger community surveillance, particularly in areas with abandoned and poorly monitored structures.
Police officers responded to the scene, recovered the body and transported it to Mayuge Health Centre IV Mortuary for a postmortem examination.
Investigations into the suspected murder are ongoing, and authorities have yet to identify or arrest any suspects.
The killing has left residents demanding swift justice and heightened security measures to protect children and other vulnerable members of the community.
