“From Dream Vacation to Tragedy: Waterloo Family Loses Three Children in Kenya Crash”
A Kenyan family from Waterloo, Iowa, United States is grappling with unimaginable grief after losing three children in a devastating car crash during a vacation in Kenya.
The accident occurred on January 4, 2026, on a highway near Nairobi, turning a dream holiday into heartbreak.
The victims were siblings Emmanuel DeLeon, an eighth-grader at Hoover Middle School; Kairu Winkelpleck, a first-grader at Royal Legacy Christian Academy; and their older sister Njeri DeLeon, a junior at West High School. Emmanuel and Kairu died at the scene, while Njeri succumbed to her injuries on Friday after being placed in a medically induced coma.
Njeri had just 3 months earlier been featured in her school online publication The Wahawk Insider for her Cheerleading role.
Hello friends and family, kindly note the following update:
A Memorial Service for Njeri DeLeon, Emmanuel DeLeon, and Kairu Winkelpleck will be held on Friday, January 23rd, 2026, at International Christian Center (ICC), Nairobi (Mombasa Road) at 10:00 a.m.
The Funeral Ceremony will take place on Saturday, January 24th, 2026, at Kariokor Crematorium in Nairobi at 10:00 a.m.
Prayers continue to be held at ICC from 5:00pm- 7:00pm daily.
Please continue to keep the family in your prayers during this incredibly difficult time. Your love and support are deeply appreciated.
