Kenya: Report attributes children's birth defects to mercury use in artisanal gold mining

 Velma and the junior Omitta are among about 20 children born with birth defects by women with elevated mercury level exposure within the mining district. More young victims remain hidden from the public as some locals attribute their deformities and other symptoms such as seizures to witchcraft. Most of these children, who have been identified by Kenya’s Centre for Environmental Justice and Development (CEJAD) for an upcoming in-depth analysis, have lost motor skills and are unable to speak. They exhibit physical and neurological deformities. The heavy metal, regarded as a neurological poison, is known to cause crippling disabilities, nervous system disorders and birth defects.

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