A 12-year-old child was found hanging in critical condition in Ruhango District and later died after being rushed to a nearby health centre, local authorities have confirmed.
The tragic incident occurred in Ntongwe Sector, where the child had been living with his grandfather and grandmother, the parents of his mother, who raised him.
According to the Executive Secretary of Ntongwe Sector, Jean Nahayo, the child was discovered in a dire state after attempting to take his own life using a rope. Residents who responded quickly removed him from the rope and rushed him to Ntongwe Health Centre, where he died shortly after arrival.
Nahayo told UMUSEKE that prior to the incident, the child had repeatedly contacted his mother, asking about his biological father. However, she reportedly refused to give him answers.
Authorities suspect that this unresolved issue may have contributed to the child’s distress.
“The child’s mother lives in Kigali, while he was being raised by his grandparents here in Ntongwe,” Nahayo explained.
He added that on the day of the incident, the child left his grandmother at home, took a rope, and attempted to end his life. Despite immediate intervention by community members, he did not survive.
The sector executive secretary said the whereabouts of the child’s mother remain unclear, apart from reports that she lives in Kigali.
Local leaders have since offered comfort and support to the elderly couple who were caring for their grandson. The child was a Primary Five pupil at the time of his death.
Mental Health Expert Urges Families to Take Children’s Emotional Pain Seriously
Commenting on the incident, mental health specialist Chantal Mudahogora, who focuses on intergenerational trauma, said the story highlights a painful but often overlooked reality: emotional distress has no age limit.
“Rejecting life has no age,” she said. “Even a child as young as two, four, or older can experience thoughts of giving up, depending on the emotional wounds they carry.”
She stressed that families should never underestimate a child’s sadness or emotional struggles.
“As parents and caregivers, we must never dismiss a young child’s pain,” she said.
Mudahogora explained that many adults wrongly assume children do not understand hardship or experience deep emotional pain, yet children often internalise their suffering because they are not given space to express it.
She further noted that questions about identity and biological parents can be deeply troubling for children, especially as they grow older.
“No matter a child’s age, they deserve honest, age-appropriate answers,” she said. “If a two- or three-year-old asks, ‘Where is my father?’ you must respond gently and truthfully. Even if the truth is painful for the parent, they must seek healing themselves so they can speak to the child without passing on unresolved trauma.”
The expert called for stronger emotional support systems within families and communities, urging parents and guardians to engage openly with children and seek professional help when needed.