news 22 March 2026 Daily Monitor (Uganda)
4-Year-Old Girl Found Dead in Locked Police Exhibit Car After Going Missing
The decomposing body of Michelle Kasikayire Mana, a 4-year-old pupil, was discovered in a locked Mercedes Benz at Adjumani Police Station's traffic yard three days after she vanished from her grandmother's care. Police suspect she entered the vehicle to play, locked herself inside, and suffocated, with investigations ongoing. Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/girl-4-found-dead-in-locked-car-at-traffic-police-parking-yard-5398950
A tragic incident unfolded at Adjumani Central Police Station when the body of 4-year-old Michelle Kasikayire Mana was found inside a locked Mercedes Benz (UAS 720N) on March 21, 2026. The vehicle, held as an exhibit in the traffic department parking yard, had been parked for an extended period.
Michelle, a pupil at Mummy’s Care Nursery and Primary School, lived with her grandmother, Sgt Lucy Angeyo of the Child and Family Protection Unit. She disappeared from the police barracks around 3pm on March 18. By 4pm, her grandmother reported her missing, prompting a search with a sniffer dog that traced to the school and town council offices, but yielded no results.
Police opened a missing person case (ADJ CRB No. 145/2026), gathered witness statements, reviewed CCTV footage, and issued public appeals via social media and radio. The decomposing body, showing maggot infestation and no physical injuries, was examined on-site by Scene of Crime Officers and Dr. Ambaku Michael using PF48A and PF48C forms before being taken to Adjumani General Hospital mortuary.
North West Nile Region spokesperson SP Collins Asea indicated the girl likely entered the car to play, locked herself in, and suffocated. Investigations continue to confirm the circumstances.
This case echoes prior tragedies in Uganda, such as three children suffocating in Soroti (2024), a boy in Serere (2025), and others in Kampala, highlighting risks of unattended vehicles.
Source: Daily Monitor (Uganda)