Kiteezi: Toddler's body recovered in 'bad shape' as girl is handed over to parents

A girl who claimed her parents had died in the tragedy was reconciled with her family after her mother showed up

A baby girl was retrieved from the foul landfill in Kiteeze Friday, raising the confirmed death toll in the garbage collapse to 35.

The Met Police spokesperson, Mr Patrick Onyango, said there are still 28 persons recorded as missing, with hope of finding any of them alive under the ruins a far cry.

"The team retrieved one dead body by 1pm of a female juvenile but she was not immediately identified since she was in bad shape," Mr Onyango said.

The operation that started at dawn was disrupted in the evening hours by bad weather, he added.

Of the 35 bodies recovered so far, 18 are males and 17 are females. The grim statistics include 12 children.

In a related development, Police today hand over Monica Nakitende, 12, to her mother after she had claimed that all her parents perished in Kiteezi landfill tragic incident.

Earlier, Kiteezi Police Station had registered a case of disappearance that was logged in by Amina Kansiime, a 31-year-old businesswoman from Kitetika village, Kasangati Town Council in Wakiso District.

She reported disappearance of Nakitende.

It's alleged that on August 3, the victim's mother contacted Kansiime to get for her daughter a good school in Wakiso.

The victim was put on a taxi which brought her up to Kansìime's home where she was until August 10, the day of the tragic garbage collapse.

The victim went missing at around midday. A report was then made at Kiteezi Police Station and inquiries commenced.

"On August 12, Nakitende was seen on news as one of the landfill garbage victims at Lusanja village, claiming that her family had perished.

Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja had then picked interest to give a helping hand.

Nakitende's mother, Ms Christine Babirye Nazziwa, saw her on the media claiming that her parents had all died in the incident.

"She decided to come at Kiteezi Police station and informed Police that she is still alive and she is not a resident of Lusanja but Kisenyi Cell in Nakasongola District," Onyango said.

"When the Office of Prime Minister was informed of the new development that the relatives of the girl were looking for her, she was taken to Naguru reception centre."

Police picked her from there and handed her over to the mother.